UP bets shine in Samsung taekwondo

Sugar Catalan and Edhlie Arellano came through with emphatic victories over their respective rivals to arrange an all-UP showdown for the women’s flyweight crown in the Samsung Best of the Best National Taekwondo Championships at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City yesterday.

Catalan stamped her class early and connected with solid hits against Avegail Ann de Dios of FEU en route to posting a 5-0 rout, which Arellano bettered later when she outclassed Gloria Corazon Go of Davao, 6-0, in their own side of the semis duel.

Catalan and Arellano were to dispute the crown in the 47-51 kg division at presstime along with other matches in six other weight divisions of the event put up by top electronics firm Samsung for the third straight year.

In contrast, Eunice Alora of Laguna and Gerika Romero of R3 Strikers had to go through some anxious moments before prevailing over their respective rivals and arranging a title clash in the finweight class. Alora edged Rhoda Catarig of Las Piñas, 2-1, while Romero nipped Aprodite Brillantes of UST, 6-5.

Meanwhile, action in the juniors division of the IMG-organized event, backed by IBC-13, Accel, Colours, The STAR, Ayala Center, Bacchus and Solar Sports and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, will start today while hostilities in the grade school class will begin tomorrow. The finals of both categories will be played Sunday where a grand demonstration of the sport will also be conducted.

In men’s action, Angelito Ong of Army edged Hector Arellano, 1-0, then routed Jeffrey Clata of Pangasinan, 4-0, to set up a clash with Terence Boteja of Laguna for the finweight title. Boteja beat Raymond Villapa of RPTC, 3-1, then edged Jules Rene Bayonito of R3 Strikers, 3-2, to advance in the under-54 kg final.

In men’s flyweight, Jose Enriquez of San Beda stopped Billy Joel Corral of UST, 2-1, then pulled off a thrilling 5-4 victory over Romelle Roa of Rizal HS to advance to the final of the 54-58 kg event against Reymar Aringo of Laguna, who won via superiority over Anthony Ong of Army, 2-2, then downed Ricardo Moncada of UST, 3-1.

Earlier, Richilda Erlandez of Ilocos Norte, Mary Diorlyn Papelera of UST, Kathy Berdejo of La Salle and Esther Marie Singson of UST beat their respective rivals to advance to the semis of the bantamweight division. Erlandez nipped Sabrina Simbulan of UP, 2-1; Papelera whipped Nikki Laraine Te of Davao, 8-0; Berdejo trounced Cherryladd Ygot of Cebu, 4-2; and Singson routed Kristine Garcia of La Union, 5-0.