RP athletes launch Arafura bid

DARWIN, NT. AUSTRALIA – Filipino medal hopefuls judoka Paolo Tancontia and boxer Deck Varron launch the Philippines’ quest for medals Sunday at the start of the Arafura Games in this wind-swept Northern Territory capital.

Tancontia, a bronze medalist in the 1997 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games and representing Davao City here, is looking for a medal finish in his first Arafura try. He will be competing in the men’s 73-81-kg class. Varron, another Davao City bet will be defending his bantamweight gold he won in 1999.

Also gunning for medals on Sunday are swimmers Ali Alamara, Ronald Martin Parrenas, Ruben Suerte, Norton Alamara, and Krestia Angela Lacson and judoka Wenie Rose Coquina. The rest of the boxing squad from Davao and Cebu will start their own bids on Monday night.

The boxing squad is composed of Cebuanos Ninolito Jalnaiz, Franklin Albia and Zander Flores, and Davaoeños Varron, Jesar Ancajas, Welbert Eballes and Rico Laput.

Earlier, the RP-Davao Oriental boys tennis team lost to East Timor-B, 2-1, in the team competitions at the Darwin Tennis Center. Top singles player Andrew Adaza beat Timorese no. 1 player Manuel DaCosta, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 but teammate Alexis Lapaz lost to Jaime DaCosta 2-6, 0-6. The duo had a chance to clinch the tie via the doubles but squandered two 4-2 leads in the second and third sets to lose 6-2, 5-7, 4-6. RP-Cebu leads East Timor-A, 2-0, in the other match with brothers James and Oswaldo Domoran winning their singles matches.