CEBU - Defending men’s open champion Nielben “Tata” Carreon did not have enough time to prepare for his first match in the 17th Erne Jawad Cup Table Tennis Championships but still managed to win.
Enjoying with a first round bye, Carreon got the warm-up he needed to beat Luther Ramiro with a clinical 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 drubbing to set his title-retention bid in high gear.
Carreon goes up against Edward Godinez in the next round. The latter defeated Wendal Zamore to earn the right to face Carreon.
Carreon said he has to go home to his hometown Ozamiz City to attend to his ailing mother. He singled out RP national player Julius Esposo and Mark Gimenez as the players to beat if he wants to regain the crown.
Esposo had an easy outing against Jay Impuesto, winning in lopsided fashion, 11-3, 11-5, 11-6. The other top contenders in the men’s open category, Michael Motel and Glendo Nayre also barged into the win column. Motel beat Danilo Abonales 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 while Nayre humbled Handel Yap 11-8, 11-6, 11-8.
In the distaff side, Jennifer Jacala, Cherry Tiongco, Cherry Tiongco, Marrel Lagunday, Kaye Pepito, Elona Dane Tormis, Benjielyn Dayap, Glady Suico and Ginly Apas, all advanced to the second round.
Aside from the men’s and women’s open, also featured in this event are the boys and girls’17 and 12-under class, plus the hard bat category.—Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)