LAUNCHING. The 2nd Sun Cellular National Juniors Badminton tournament was launched at J. Centre Mall Mandaue. From left: Yoly Araullo (ForthRigh Events); Anatrel Pacres (Marketing OIC of JCentre Mall); Jmes Ryan Villarante (champion under 15 doubles Visayas Region); Carl Bernard Bejasa (champion Under 15 singles Visayas Region);; Patrick Estoconing (coach, USC) and Pao Dizon of Smart Sports attended the launching. (CDN PHOTO/ ABIGAIL CARUANA)
Badminton crazy Cebu braces for an invasion of a most welcome kind.
For two action-packed days on Sept. 26 and 27, the province will host the country’s best junior shuttlecock smashers as SMART Communications Inc. brings the 2nd Sun Cellular National Juniors Badminton Tournament dubbed “Battle of the Champions” at the Metro Sports Cebu in Lahug and J Centre Mall in Mandaue City.
The tournament is the culmination of three rigid regional eliminations held earlier in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and will feature 28 regional champions in a bruising battle for badminton supremacy.
FUTURE OF BADMINTON
“The event is also a rare opportunity to witness the future of Philippine badminton in action,” said SMART’s Paulo Dizon. He added that the winners will have the chance to be considered in the National Pool since the tournament is sanctioned by the Philippine Badmintion Association (PBA) and is part of the National Ranking System.
The first two rounds, according to Sun Cellular’s Yoly Araullo, who is also the event’s technical director, will be played at Metro Sports in Lahug while the third and final round will be at the Atrium of J Centre Mall. Araullo said this will be an exciting battle since the Visayas, according to her, is home to some of the best junior badminton players.
Anatrel Pacres (Marketing OIC of J Centre Mall) said that they are happy and honored to host the event. She revealed that the Atrium will be fitted with two taraflex badminton courts for the national finals.
A total of 28 players, champions in their respective regional qualifiers will battle it out in 19 age categories including Under-19, U17, U15, U13 and U11 in boys singles, girls singles, boys doubles, girls doubles and mixed doubles.
However, only the U19, U17 and U15 have doubles events.
Participants will play in a single round robin format with the players and tandems logging the most number of wins to be declared winners.
CEBU’S BETS
Meanwhile, Cebu has two representatives in the two-day championships in Ryan Villarante and Carl Bejasa.
The two, stalwarts of the University of San Carlos high school badminton team, will partner in the boys U15 doubles while Bejasa will carry the Visayas’ colors in the U15 boys singles where he is the defending champion.
The boys were particularly mum about their preparations but vowed to give their best to bring honor to Cebu.
They were accompanied by their coach Patrick Estoconing who said that his wards prepared hard for the national finals.
“This is a very tough tournament since everyone competing is a champion, but we are ready for the challenge,” Estoconing said.