2012 PLDT-ABAP VISAYAS AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS: A POSTSCRIPT
By Felman Gingoyon
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 01 Feb 2012
Bago City, hometown of former Olympians Roel and Mansueto Velasco bag three golds courtesy of Adrian dela Cruz in junior boys 50 kgs., Raymart Flores in youth boys 46 kgs. and former national pool member James Palicte in youth boys 60 kgs, two silvers by Ramonito Ladon, Jr. and Jesmar Martir and a bronze medal by Jeffrey Bagacay for a first place finish in the just concluded 2012 PLDT-ABAP Visayas Championships.
Next is defending champions Mandaue City with two golds from Rolan Servania, younger brother of ALA standout Genesis Servania in youth boys 49 kgs. and Kevin Jake Cataraja in youth boys 52 kgs. and a silver medal from Mardie Muana. Mandaue City also got three bronze medals courtesy of Hipolito Banal, Jr., Ronald Bryan Remedio and Eleno Traya.
Third place finish goes to Tagbilaran City with golds by Kenneth Gentallan in junior boys 48 kgs. and Jessel Mark Araula in youth boys 56 kgs. and a silver medal by Cherwellan Cantel.
2009 champions Cebu City snatched two gold medals courtesy of Junrel Jimenez in junior boys 46 kgs. and Jay-Jay Antipala in junior boys 52 kgs. and two bronze medals by Rodex Piala and Steven Noblefranca. Female boxer Jossa Santisteban gave Negros Occidental its lone gold medal after beating Aira Villegas of Leyte in junior girls 52 kgs. Mark Anthony Montenola and Jojo Bulanon also contributed silver medals for Negros Occidental. Dumaguete City, fielded two teams ABANO A and B by virtue of being hosts, got two silvers by Jude Ray Daag and Jonathan Ramirez. Northern Samar captured a silver medal by Ronald Cerbito in youth boys 46 kgs.
The four-day amateur slugfest was held at the Robinson's Place Dumaguete and attracted 10 teams with more than 40 boxers from all over the Visayas area. This is a grassroots initiative of ABAP to discover young boxers who can represent the country in international tournaments with the main goal of capturing that elusive first Olympic gold medal. First day featured eight bouts, second day with seven bouts, third day with fourteen bouts and finals bouts with ten which accounted for the number of gold medals at stake. The tournament also showcased a female bout in the finals as women's boxing is now an Olympic sport. Medal winners of the said tournament will represent Visayas in the National Championships in Tagbilaran City this early March, who also receive cash prizes from ABAP.
The tournament is also a sort of gathering of former amateur standouts as Efren Tabanas, Leopoldo Cantancio, Elias Recaido and Romeo Brin were spotted. 1984 Los Angeles Games Olympian Tabanas coached Team Cebu City, two-time Olympian (1984 and 1988 Seoul) Cantancio calls the shots for Negros Occidental while Recaido (1996 Atlanta) and Brin (1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens) were tasked by ABAP to discover potential talents.
Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria of Dumaguete City, Carlos Leviste of SMART Sports, Rep. Pryde Henry Teves and some local government officials also graced the event. Also on hand to personally supervise the tournament is ABAP executive director Ed Picson and AIBA International Technical Official Maria Karina Picson. International R/J's Dante de Castro, Darcito Teodoro and Jesus San Esteban of ABREJAP made sure the smooth flow of tournament proceedings. Come June this year, Dumaguete City will be hosting PNG (Philippine National Games).
Days prior to tournament proper, a seminar was conducted by ABREJAP on updates and details of the technical and competition rules of AIBA (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) which is also being adopted by ABAP. A good number of those who wanted to be accredited as ring officials, mostly teachers from DepEd attended the seminar. Accreditation process includes a written, oral and practical examination..
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Felman Gingoyon.
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