SPORTS THE FILIPINOS’ GROWING LOVE FOR VOLLEYBALL

TOYCON 2023: A FEAST FOR THE EYES

TOYCON 2023 opened on Friday to celebrate two decades of bringing fun to collectors.

True to its promise, the Toycon definitely raised the bar again for pop-culture events as the collectors’ mecca attracted nearly a hundred toy exclusives from partner exhibitors, with top toy brands like Funko, Lego, Bandai, Hot Toys, Pop Mart, JoyToy, and many others.

The rst day was mobbed by fans and collectors to avail of discounted toys and collectibles as well as limited edition Toycon releases from worldrenowned toy designers like Quiccs, Wetworks, Creon Chknhead, Arman Kendrick, and more.

TOYCON has also partnered with international brand and licensing giant, MINDstyle, to bring the FanXperience, where con-goers can sample the latest trends in upcoming art toys and purchase Pop Asia exclusives.

Orleans, France. Filipino fans are loving every game of the Manila leg in the VNL 2023, considering that the world’s top volleyball teams are in the country. Among them is world no. 1 Poland and Italy, no. 2 in the FIVB world rankings. Poland showed class and struck down Brazil’s formidable frontline game for a 29-31, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-13 beating on Friday. Also drawing in a crowd is Italy, which is no. 2 in the FIVB world rankings. Italy fended o a gritty challenge from Canada, 25-14, 23-25, 25-20, 2325, 15-9, with Alessandro Michieletto showing the way with 18 points on 14 hits.

Some of the most admired players are Poland’s Wilfredo Leon Venero,

Bartosz Kurek and Bartosz Berdnoz; Brazil’s Alan Souza, Ricardo Souza and Henrique Honorato; Italy’s Yuri Romano, Daniel Lavia and Alessandro Michieletto; Slovenia’s Klemns Cebulj and Tine Urnaut and Japan’s Kento Miyaura and Akihiro Yamauchi; The Netherlands’ Wouter Termaat and Canada’s Ralph Joseph Sclater and Nicholas Hoag.

KING’S GAMBIT HOPES TO PRODUCE CHESS MASTERS IN 2 YEARS

FOUNDED by coach Richard Villaseran in 2021 during the pandemic, King’s Gambit Online Chess School has been a home of world-class chess training for top age groupers in the country.

“In 2021, I felt the itch to come up with a very strong chess training program after I saw Vietnam dominate the ASEAN age groups. It was very heartbreaking to witness. The program was doing very well but unfortunately, I had to stop coaching the whole of 2022 I’m so proud of what the program’s former players were able to achieve during and after.”, said Coach Villaseran.

Villaseran is referring to Woman National Master Franchesca Largo who achieved a very rare, impressive feat of winning all 13 games in the 2023 National Girls U18, Phil Martin Casiguran earned his National Master Title after winning the National Children’s title recently while Aeiona Lou Mendoza won the 2022 National Children’s Girls Chess Championships.

Now, King’s Gambit Online Chess School has been back for almost 3 months already and is stronger than ever. Its Elite Program boasts of the country’s top junior players including the school’s original players Vincent Ryu Dimayuga and Pat Ferdolf Macabulos, former prodigy Woman National Master Antonella Racasa,

National Master Jeremy Marticio, Woman National Master Jersey Marticio, National Master John Cyrus Borce, Christian Mendoza, Jiancarlo Rivera, youngest national master ever OJ Reyes, Stephen Quinto, Gabriel Paradero and National Master Jerish Velarde.

“I’m so elated with how the program has been shaping up. I’m so humbled to have these top players join the program. These players are already very strong players before joining. King’s Gambit Chess School and I are just here to guide them and optimize their training. I was surprised during my interviews with them that some of them practice 6-8 hrs a day, in my head, that training regimen is already for stronger Grandmasters, so it reinforced my belief that there’s really a need for players to be trained properly, to make it more optimized so every hour counts and not wasted.”, added Villaseran.

The program’s short-term to mid-term goals are to produce 2 Woman Grandmasters in 2 years, at least 5 National Age-group champions next year, and 5 Fide Masters in 2 years.

“I have very high hopes for all the players. They all have the talent and what’s nice is that they are very keen on learning. Our two female players, Racasa and Marticio are very strong, and I believe they can become WGMs in the next 2 years and become National Women’s team members by next year already. The boys are equally talented they can easily become FMs in the next 2 years also. Reyes and Macabulos are strong 11-year-old players and the sky’s the limit for them.”, added Villaseran.

Go For Gold Shines In National Cycling Tourney

THE Go For Gold squad’s recent success in the PhilCycling National Championships for Road proved that their training program and solid teamwork could make a big di erence.

”I’m very proud of our whole team for this result. This year was not the best for our road team, because we have actively tried to join higher quality races,’’ said Go For Gold founder Jeremy Go.

”I believe this result validates our training philosophy and hopefully will be the start of better things to come,’’ added Go.

Go For Gold is a sports development program under Powerball Marketing and Logistics Corporation, which supports not only Filipino cyclists but other athletes and teams competing in various sports as well.

”It’s all about teamwork. Everyone on the team helped Jonel win that race. We don’t only look at the results, but we also give much importance to those who helped him win it,’’ said Go For Gold head coach Ednalyn Hualda. Go For Gold’s success was highlighted by the feat of Jonel Carcueva even as he suffered from cramps immediately after crossing the line for a historic second straight title in the national race. The pain and sacrifice were all worth it with Carcueva acknowledging that victory won’t be his if not for the teamwork displayed by the Go For Gold cycling team throughout the most celebrated race in the country.

”Sobrang laking tulong ng team sa panalo ko. Wala ako dito ngayon kung hindi dahil sa supporta ng mga teammates ko, coaches at buong management ng Go For Gold,’’ said Carcueva after topping the men’s elite road race of the national championships.

Carcueva, also last year’s gold medalist in the event, actually led Go For Gold in a monumental and rare 1-2-3 nish for a cycling team out of 194 riders after clocking 3:05:20 at the end of the 104-kilometer race made punishing by a long steep climb going to the finish.

Fans also get to interact with top creators and designers like Punk Drunkers and Reen Barrera. You also get to check out the Secret Fresh merchandise and exhibits.

Globe is this year’s event copresenter, and they are bringing in the Globe Playboxx Booth where one can unleash their inner child. They also bring the Globe Premium and VIP Passes loaded with awesome toy exclusives, merch, and vouchers.