Velez bags JVC plum; Starmen retain crown

Karyn Velez and Ronnel Estanislao staked their claim as the country’s next badminton superstars by winning the junior plums while The Philippine Star retained the corporate crown with a 4-1 victory over Meralco at the close of the P1 million JVC Open Badminton Championships at the Glorietta yesterday.

Underscoring her domination of the 16-under division of the unofficial national champioships, Velez completely dominated Gelita Castillo with her swift, well-calculated game as the Golden Shuttle Foundation bet went on to post a 21-9, 21-11 victory before a huge Sunday crowd to rule the girls’ category.

Toughened up by his stint in the elite division, where he reached the semis, Estanislao struggled past Ralph Hidalgo, also of GSF, in the first set but took control of the second frame, never giving his rival room to recover as the Allied Badminton mainstay fashioned out a 21-18, 21-11 victory in the boys’ side.

Those victories netted Velez and Estanislao P8,000 each plus fabulous gift items from the sponsoring JVC (PHILS.), Inc. and Victor, Bacchus Energy Drink, Lactacyd, Snickers Chocolates, Pioneer Life, LTIME studio, Lifestyle Watch Store and Alaska, Accel and Sunbolt. Castillo and Hidalgo settled for P6,000 each plus gift items.

Chester Cordero and Dahlia Santiago outplayed Rey Selga and Kathleen Anasco, 21-17, 21-11, in the second mixed doubles worth two points to clinch the 4-1 victory worth P50,000 for the Starmen, who also beat the Meralco squad in the final last year.

Cordero earlier teamed up with Jhona Magnaye to thump Joel Noga and Flor Vivas, 21-8, 21-15, in the first mixed doubles before Rodolfo Gutierrez and Jopet Sison made it 2-0 for the defending champions with a 21-17, 21-15 victory over Selga and Allan Dilia in the men’s doubles.

Criselda Sarabia and Diana Barbo averted a shutout loss by repulsing Melody Villaceran and Analyn Delgado, 21-19, 21-17, in the ladies doubles.

Brothers Peter and Patrique Magnaye, foiled in their bids in the singles, teamed up to beat James Rizon and John Densing, 21-9, 21-15, and capture the boys’ doubles crown, while Abegail Garcia and Mia Villarin battled back from a set down to repulse Angelique Angeles and Reyne Calimlim, 19-21, 21-17, 21-16, and take the girls’ doubles plum.

Peter Magnaye later partnered with Calimlim to bag the mixed doubles title, beating the Wilfredo Amoroso-Elaine Cuevas tandem, 21-13, 21-15.