PHL MEMORY BETS READY FOR THAILAND OPEN; FILIPINA BETS WILL SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 06 Jul 2012
Manila, Philippines -- THE caliber of Philippine Memory Players will be put to a big test when they compete against the best in the world with first Filipino Grandmaster (GM) of Memory Mark Anthony Castaneda and veteran campaigner Roberto Racasa bannering the Philippine campaign in the 2012 Thailand Open Memory Championship gets underway today, Friday, July 7 at the Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand.
The team, which finished second overall in the 20th World 'Olympic' Memory Championship (WMC) last December in Guangzhou, China, will test its mettle against some of the best memory athletes from all over the globe.
Castaneda from Barangay Old Zaniga in Mandaluyong became the first Filipino Grandmaster of Memory. The 23-year-old Rizal Technological University Mandaluyong BS ECE graduate memorized a 1,140 digit numbers in an hour en route to his 1st grandmaster (GM) norm. He memorized a deck of cards (equivalent to 52 playing cards) in 1 minute and 10 seconds in the speed card category for his 2nd GM norm and memorized 13 decks of cards (equivalent to 676 playing cards) in an hour to earn his third and final GM norm during the 20th World 'Olympic' Memory Championship (WMC) last December in Guangzhou, China.
"I hope to do well in this event (Thailand Open Memory)," said Castaneda.
Racasa, a former PUP Sta Mesa Manila top chess player for his part: "The Thailand Open Memory Championships will also serve as a training ground for this year's Australian Memory Open Championships set October in Melbourne and this year's World 'Olympic' Memory Championships gets going on December in London," said Racasa, who was also able to break several US records at the 2010 UK Open International Memory Championships with the Philippine Memory Team captured the silver medal.
Other member of the Philippine Memory team are Anne Bernadette Bonita, Cristine Barao, Ydda Habab, Shairmaine Dianquinay, Princess Mendoza, Blessy Mae Ayalde, Ian Roi Spencer Betiong and 10-year-old whiz kid Jamyla Lambunao.
"I have always dreamed of bringing honor to our flag and country, this could be my chance." said Bonita, who work as project engineering assistant at PLDT.
"This would be the first time Filipino women will take part in this prestigious and rare event," added Bonita, who hails from Caloocan City and ECE graduate from PUP Sta. Mesa Manila.
"This would also be the first where Philippine Memory Team will have representatives for Junior division and one of the interesting player for this event is the 10-year-old whiz kid Jamyla, who can memorize a deck of cards in 2.57 minutes," last word of Bonita.
Completing the Philippine Memory team are team Manager and delegation head Aurelio "Reli" de Leon, US and PH chess master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. and Edwin Llamo.
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