14 EDGEDAVAO Sports
VOL. 8 ISSUE 37 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, MAY 24 - 25, 2015
HERE COMES ALYSSA UAAP champs see action in Davao May 29
By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net
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HE hottest news in sports this side of the country is that volleyball star Alyssa Valdez will see action in Davao City on May 29. The not so cool news is that only 300 tickets of the 7,000 printed remain on sale. Yes, Alyssa Valdez will lead the two-time UAAP champion Lady Eagles in an exhibition match at the USEP Gym against Davao Lady Agilas dubbed as “Heartstrong: A Charity Game.” “The entire Lady Eagles team except for those who have graduated will be here for the charity game and that includes Alyssa Valdez. That is confirmed,” said Noli Ayo, athletic director of Ateneo de Davao University, during the FAST Fridays media forum at the Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at SM Lanang Premier. Other than Valdez, two Dabawenyas in the roster of the Eagles are coming--Mae Tajima of Ateneo de Davao University and Maggy Madayag of Davao Christian High School.
Gametime is set at 5:00 pm and tickets are available at the Athletics Office of ADDU Matina Campus and at Roxas Entrance Gate of ADDU Jacinto Campus. A preliminary game is set at 3:00 pm as curtain raiser. Ayo said half of the tickets have been sold out as of three daus after the tickets went on sale. However, a report on Saturday bared that only 300 tickets are left for the much-awaited charity game. Ayo said proceeds of the event will go to the Gawad Kalinga project and to the Coaches for Peace in Mindanao project. There will be meet and greet on May 28 at the Davao Crocodile Park and on May 29 at the Abreeza Mall. Fans who bring in used sneakers can get photos with the Lady Eagles. The used sports shoes will be distributed to indigent athletes in Davao City under the Generous Soles program which was authored by Ateneo stars Valdez and Kiefer Ravena.
HEARTSTRONG. Ateneo de Davao University athletic director Noli Ayo announces the Heartstrong Charity Game featuring the Ateneo Lady Eagles led by Alyssa Valdez (right) during the FAST Fridays media forum at the Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at SM Lanang Premier. Lean Daval Jr. The Davao Agilas will be bannered by a selection of Davao City collegiate volleyball players. The Lady Eagles are the
reigning women’s volleyball champions after beating De La Salle University for the title in the 76th and 77th seasons of the UAAP.
der girls kata and the mixed team kata of JP Ponce, Jam Ramirez and Darlene Maramara. The Davao bets also won three silvers and two bronzes. The mixed kata trophy was retained by AAK Davao despite the absence of top karatekas Gabriel Quiñonez and Ella Estarija. The two could not join the team due to their studies. Guesting at FAST Fridays
were PJ Bacayo who lost the gold medal by the skin of his teeth in the finals, Sofia Agullo, Ponce, Maramara and Tan. “This is not our A Team but still we were able to deliver. The kids fought really hard,” said Tan. The team was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission through Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr., executive director, and the AAK Davao parents. (Neil Bravo)
Davao karatekas finish 8th overall in Malaysia
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SSOCIATION for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK Davao) finished 8th overall out of 61 teams in the 16th Milo Malaysian Open Karatedo Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia recently. AAK Davao head coach Rommel Tan told journalists covering the FAST Fridays media forum at the Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at SM Lanang Premier of
the impressive stint by the Dabawenyo karatekas who represented the Philippines in the annual event. “We are proud to finih 8th overall in Malaysia and that is a good showing considering the level of competition has really gone up. It’s a lot tougher now compared to the previous years,” Tan said. AAK Davao won two golds through Atsuko Kaiyel Tan in the 5 years and un-
ATSUKO KAIYEL TAN
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AAK DAVAO. Members of the AAK Davao karatedo team led by coach Rommel Tan (extreme right) present the trophies and medals won during the 16th Milo Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur during the FAST Fridays media
forum at the Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at SM Lanang Premier. The other team members are (l-r) PJ Bacayo, Sofia Agullo, JP Ponce, Darlene Maramara and Atsuko Kaiyel Tan. Lean Daval Jr.
Wonder Kid Kaiyel eyes Thailand stint
OT any ordinary five-year old kid would face a battery of journalists in a grilling press conference. Not for Atsuko Kaiyel Tan. The five-year old karatedo wonder sat at the panel, posed for photographers, showed off her medals, and even walked up to the floor to reenact her kata routine. When the press conference was over, Tan was not done. She called up this writer and surprisingly said: “Why didn’t you ask me questions?” Her remark elicited a loud laughter from the group of reporters attending the weekly FAST Fridays media forum at SM Lanang Premier’s Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta. “You want more questions?” asked Prix Banzon of Philippine News Agency. “Yes,” was Kaiyel’s quick response. What happened next was an exclusive interview with this young karatedo sensation who won a gold medal in the girls 5
years and under kata and a silver medal in the girls 6 years and under kata in the 16th Milo-Malaysian Open Karatedo Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week. Executing to near perfection the difficult Jion Kata routine, Kaiyel bested entries from Thailand, Malaysia, India and Singapore to win the gold medal. “Mas mahirap na kata ang ginawa ni Kaiyel kaya naimpress ang mga judges sa kaniya,” said father-coach Rommel Tan who admitted he was the one who got nervous when the competition started. He asked one of his senior players PJ Bacayo to assist him in coaching Kaiyel. “Hindi po ako natakot. Sabi ko mananalo ako ng medal,” Kaiyel said. Kaiyel’s gold in Malaysia is her first in two international stints. She won a silver in the 2015 Adidas Cup last January in SM Mall of Asia. She is up next to compete in Thailand late this year. (Neil Bravo)