PHL archers break 6 junior records in Asean tilt

JONATHAN REAPORT and Ada Lagrada led a record-breaking spree for local archers at the start of the First Asean Archery Youth Championships at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex in Cebu City on Thursday.

Veterans of the world youth meet held last July in Limerick, Ireland, Reaport and Lagrada shot 639 and 613 points, respectively, in setting two of the six new national junior marks to rule the men’s and women’s Under-21 70-meter recurve qualifiers in the meet organized by World Archery Philippines (WAP).

Both carrying the colors of Olympus Archery Club, Reaport broke his previous record of 632 set at the world youth tourney while Lagrada surpassed her own mark of 582 in a tournament held last January at the STI Gold Toe

NIVERSITY of Iloilo’s (UI) whose daughters Kelsey and Tiffany are competing in the 9-10 and 11-12 age categories, said they expect to vie in more JPGT tournaments, which she described as “fun and exceptionally organized.” We’re looking forward to joining more tournaments like this so that our children can gain more friends and learn in golf,” said Bernardino. Ungco and Suzuki topped their respective age-group divisions in boys’ play in the 18-hole stroke play tournament at Valley Golf Club last month with the duo expecting a stiffer challenge from their band of rivals coming off a break in the 11-12 and 9-10 categories. Jacob Gomez and Aenzo Sulaik, who finished second and third, respectively, in Antipolo, are also back in the hunt, along with Stefano Bautista, Matthias Espina and William Sulit, the top three players in the drive, chip and putt contest the last time out at Mount Malarayat. C ompleting the 11-12 roster in the one-day event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. are Lujo Gomez, Matteo Gallardo, Enzo Corpus, Lucas Garcia and Joseph Bernos. archery range in Marikina.

More important, Reaport’s score was just one point short of the minimum Olympic qualifying standard of 640 while Lagrada exceeded the minimum Olympic qualifying standard of 610 in the competition backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cebu City Sports Commission. Cebu Archery Club’s Aldener Igot Jr. gave fellow Cebuanos also something to cheer for in topping the men’s under-18 recurve qualifying round in a new mark in shooting 646 points, shattering the old mark of 631 by Lawrence Enecio in the same Marikina tourney last January. Salt and Arrow Archery Academy’s Naina Tagle also joined recordbreaking club in topping the women’s recurve under-18 qualifying round with a tally of 639 point in the competition also backed by FR Sevilla Industrial Corp. owned by WAP chairman Felizardo Sevilla Jr.