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Young Filipina athlete shines in the US
The New Jersey Lady Titans, with Ella Fajardo in the middle, are shown at the Amateur Athletic Union.
Stuart leads newbies in PH athletics’ team By Peter Atencio
FIVE new faces, who made a good impression in the 2015 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championships held at the Laguna Sports Complex in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, will likely make the cut for the national team. Led by Fil-American Caleb Stuart, who is expected to make the grade following his impressive performances in three field events, others who would most likely suit for the national team include FilAmericans long jumper Donovant Arriola and sprinter Brandon Thomas, relay specialist Johan Caido and high jumper Manuel Lasangue Jr. Their fate will be known once the national coaching staff is through with their evaluation process. Stuart racked up three gold medals in the final day of the meet, capping his impressive
stint by heaving 48.17 meters in the discus throw, which was six meters better than the 42.72 of Sean Santamina, who settled for the silver. The former varsity at the University of California-Riverside earlier plucked the gold in the men’s shot put in 16.52 meters before smashing the national record in the men’s hammer throw with a 64.81-meter heave. That throw surpassed the national record posted by Arniel Ferrera in 2013 Vietiane Southeast Asian Games (61.61 meters) and is way better than the current
SEA Games mark of reigning champon Tantipong Phetchaiya (62.23). Stuart’s shot put mark, on the other hand, nearly broke the 2013 SEA Games bronze medal standard of 16.85, which is owned by Chatchawal Polyiam of Thailand. In the discus throw, Stuart’s heave was but a few meters less than the SEA Games bronze medal mark of Indonesia’s Hermanto (51.96 meters). National coaches, headed by Dario Darosas, are set to discuss if Stuart can compete in all three events in the Games. Arriola, meanwhile, is being eyed to see action in the long jump after he cleared 7.59 meters, which was only four centimeters less than Henry Dagmil’s national mark of 7.99 meters. It was better than Pham Van Lam’s 7.53-meter bronzemedal mark in the 2013 SEA Games. Thomas, on the other hand, completed the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds, which was
Stuart
close to the 10.45 second national record of Ralph Soguilon in 2007 and near the bronze-medal performance of Muhammad Amirudin Jamal of Singapore (10.55 seconds). Meanwhile, University of Baguio’s Johan Caido, who finished fourth in the 400-meter run (47.62 seconds) earned a spot in the 4X400 meter relay with teammates Archand Bagsit, Edgardo Alejano and Ryan Bigyan.
A YOUNG Filipina athlete is making waves in the basketball scene in the US. Third grader Ella Patrice Fajardo is one of the best basketball players not only in her school’s varsity team, Transfiguration Academy Tigers, but also in the whole state, playing for the top-ranking team New Jersey Lady Titans in the Amateur Athletic Union. Standing a little over five feet, Ella has competed in national leagues in various states, earning trophies as MVP along the way. At only 8 years old, Ella has already been spotted by one of the most respected players in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Original Los Angeles Sparks guard Tamecka Dixon conducts training sessions with the young Pinay because of her promising talent and skill in the sport. Though she was born and raised in New Jersey, Ella still credits the premiere sports clinic, Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center, for her growth in the sport. Over the years, her family travels all the way from the US back to the Philippines to undergo rigorous training at the award-winning sports clinic. Despite the serious coaching in the US, Ella still sees her BEST Center training as the most vital aspect in her improvement. She attributed the things she learned in BEST Center as a significant part of her success, relating how BEST Center’s focus on scientific approach helped her become a good player. “In the US, they don’t teach the little things that can help you in your game. The drills make you a good player, but it’s the small details that win the game,” shared the basketball prodigy. Ella recently graduated in Level 3 and will be back this year to complete the basketball program. She is clearly on her way towards her dream of becoming the first Filipina basketball player in the NBA. To know more information about BEST Center sports clinics, call their hotlines 4116260, 3723066 and 372-3065 or email bestcentersports@gmail.com. You may also visit BEST Center Sports Inc. on Facebook.
Forum to discuss Shakey’s V-League THE coming First Conference of the highly popular Shakey’s V-League will be exclusively talked about in today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate. Officials of the organizing Sports Vision lead the guests in the 10:30 a.m. public sports program aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
TM Football kicks off festivals in Iloilo REACHING out to various underprivileged communities to provide young talents nationwide the venue to hone their skills, the TM Football Para Sa Bayan recently went underway with its football festival in Iloilo City, spearheaded by no less than Globe ambassador, sports director and coach Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong. The said football festival attracted hundreds of youth from the townsfolk of Barotac Nuevo in the said city, where Caligdong traces his roots, as well as from neighboring barangays. Aside from letting the football newbies aged 6 to 15 discover and enjoy the sport, the event also provided the opportunity to in-
crease their level of play through a 7-side tournament format under the supervision of the former Philippine Azkals team captain and midfielder. It also enabled the mass market prepaid brand TM to reach out to more of its publics in rolling out relevant programs, particularly the successful grassroots football program of Globe Telecom, which for three years now has largely helped underserved Filipino youth to tap their full potential and harness their skills, particularly through football. “We are pleased that TM Football Para Sa Bayan is starting to positively impact the lives of Filipino youth nationwide, especially
the underprivileged here in Iloilo. Bringing a wonderful head start to those who will be the future of this nation provides our brand a dimension of genuinely serving our countrymen even through sports,” said TM Portfolio and Brand Management Director Trina Sebastian. “I am honored to work closely with TM Football Para sa Bayan, in so far as guiding our youth to discover their calling through a sport closest to my heart. It is with high hopes that by joining in the festivals and doing good in football, we would be able to encourage them to stay in school and have a better chance for a brighter future,” remarked Caligdong.
Former PH Azkals star and Globe ambassador Chieffy Caligdong leads the first leg of the TM Football Para sa Bayan football festival.