P200,000 at stake in M. Lhuillier darts

CEBU, Philippines - Over P200,000 in cash prize is at stake for the top performers of the 1st M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala National Darts Open set from April 16 to 18 at Yayoy’s Grill and Resto Bar along Orchid Street in Brgy. Capitol Site, this city.

Held in partnership with the Cebu City Sports Commission, it’s the first time that M. Lhuillier sponsors a darts tournament of such magnitude.

 “In this sport, Filipinos could excel because there is no height or weight requirement needed. With the support of private sector like MLKP, we could produce national and international champions in the future,” said league organizer and City councilor Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba during the press conference yesterday at Yayoy’s Grill and Resto bar.

“I hope that this would not only be the first and either not the last because we would love to make this an annual event,” he added.

The three-day tilt features six categories- draw doubles, 4-person team Lhuillier Cup, draw triples, youth singles, seniors singles and open singles.

Over 200 players are expected to join the contest, which is also a National Darts Federation of the Philippines (NDFP) rankings competition.

The visiting darters who confirmed their participation are from Makati, Team Robson of Manila, San Carlos City, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Tanjay, Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, Sindangan and Davao.

Registration fee is pegged at P1,200 for the 4-person team, P500 for the open singles, and P250 for draw doubles, draw triples and senior singles.

Cebu City Hall Employees Darts Association (CHEDA) president Bert Colong, Jr. said that registration is free in the youth division as it is part of their grassroots development program.

“We would like to encourage the youth to engage in this sport, thus, we’re giving them this opportunity to play without entry fee to motivate them even more,” said Colong.

Colong bared that the top four winners will automatically be part of Team Cebu City Niños.

“We will start in the grassroots knowing that this sport is not expensive. No bigger venues needed to have this event. We are even encouraging the barangays and sitios in the city to help in promoting this sport to the youth,” said Alcoseba.

Aside from trophies and medals, the champion in the open singles and 4-person team will receive P20,000. The top performer in the draw triples will take home P18,000, while the grand winner in the draw doubles, senior singles and youth singles will receive P16,000, P4,000 and P3,000, respectively.

NDFP will hand out an additional bounty of P10,000 for open singles player who can make a perfect 9-darts out.

The organizers will strictly impose the proper playing attire. Caps, sandos, slippers, sandal, collarless shirts and shorts are now allowed.

For more queries, one may contact Bert Colong at 0928-7647681/( 032) 516-7064 or Winnie Ocañada at 0916-4689819.   (FREEMAN NEWS)