RP bets off to Japan, China

Eleven Filipino athletes will vie for honors in two separate international events – the sixth World Games in Japan and the 21st Universiade in Beijing, China.

Five of these athletes – snooker bet Marlon Manalo, bowlers Chester King and Cecilia Yap and dancesport performers Belinda Adora and Janice Marquez – will compete in the World Games.

The other athletes – judokas Gilbert Ramirez and Vida Mia Valverde and fencers Jose Carlos Coruna, Manolo Gonzales, Earl Michael Arcilla and Allen Tacang – will see action in the Universiade.

Dancesport’s Glo Alcala will head the World Games delegation while Philippine Olympic Committee auditor and gymnastics president Noel Buenaventura and judo president Capt. Rey Jaylo will be chief de mission and deputy delegation head, respectively, to the Beijing Universiade.

The other officials accompanying the two groups are Nena Yap and Johnson Cheng, team manager and head coach, respectively, of bowling; Nick Cabalza, powerlifting technical official; and Walter Francis Torres, fencing coach.

Manalo, the reigning Asian snooker champion, is vying in Akita, Japan on Aug. 22-26, while bowlers King and Yap will play in Narita on Aug. 21-23. Dancers Adora and Marquez will also display their wares in Narita on Aug. 25-26.

Judokas Ramirez (73 kilograms) and Valverde (-52 kg) and fencers Coruna (men’s sabre), Gonzales (men’s epee), Arcilla (individual foil and team events) and Tacang (individual foil and team events) will begin their respective campaigns on Aug. 23.

The RP participation in the World Games and Universiade is sanctioned by the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The POC initially requested the UAAP and the NCAA to send athletes to the Universiade but the two groups declined.