Figueroa, Cordero top archery qualifier

Athens Olympian Jasmin Figueroa and Marvin Cordero displayed their old reliable form to rule archery’s second qualifying competition for the Doha Asian Games recently at the PAC ground in Magalang, Pampanga.

Figueroa, who made waves in Athens by beating former world champion Nathalie Valeeva of Italy in the first round, fired 103 points to beat Rachelle Anne Cabral (88) in the women’s recurve division finals, while Cordero tallied 96 to nip Mark Javier (96) in the men’s group.

Rookie Paul Marton dela Cruz shared the limelight by surpassing the archery association’s 1300 points criteria. The 19-year-old, University of Makati student from Talavera, Nueva Ecija shot 1303.

Amaya Paz, Earl Benjamin Yap and four others also hurdled the 1300 criteria set by NAAP as qualifying standard for the Philippines’ compound division team to the FITA World Cup set Sept. 25-Oct. 1 in Shanghai, China.

The other compound qualifiers are Abbigail Tindugan, Joann Tabanag and Enrique Cojuangco Jr.

Paz toppled Sydney Olympic veteran Jennifer Chan, 111-105, while Yap downed Cojuangco, 116-112, in the Olympic Round finals.

Tindugan and Tabanag finished third and fourth, behind Paz and Chan.

Paz and Yap also broke five Philippine records.

Paz carded 1388 in the FITA Round and 344 in the 70-meter distance to better her old marks of 1373 and 340, respectively, and 348 in 60 meters to erase the 347 posted by Tindugan in the last SEA Games.

Yap also bettered his old standard of 347 (70m) and 356 (30m) by shooting 348 and 356, respectively.

Paz tied her 341 mark at the 50m distance. And so did Yap, who matched his 116 points in the Olympic Round.

The other placers:

Women’s recurve — Karen Grace Yasi, third; Katherine Annalyn Santos; fourth; Mary Grace Dolfo, fifth; Ma. Quinnie Rose Cabuguason, sixth; Janet Bermas, seventh; Juvie Murao, eighth and Ronalyn Alvarez, ninth.

Men’s recurve — Florante Matan, third; Paul Marton dela Cruz, fourth; Christian Cubilla, fifth; Zander Lee Reyes, sixth; Renato Bartolome, seventh; Ian Wayne Larsen, eighth; Gerard Laguardia, ninth; Eman Caducoy, 10th; Joseph Solitario, 11th and Regimar Uzais 12th.

Men’s compound — Fermin Barrenechea, third; Gil Gabriel, fourth; Karl Francis Achacoso, fifth; Adam Jimenez III, sixth and Vicente Sandoval, seventh.