Escueta, Magnaye complete golden double

Philip Jofer Escueta of Dunlop/Whackers and Ariel Magnaye of JLTC/Battledore/Victor Plome both completed a golden double in the championship round of the Toby’s-Dunlop Youth Badminton Championships yesterday at the Atrium A of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Escueta downed Ivan Angsico of Aztec/RaQ4Cock/DLS-Lipa, 21-10, 21-4, to clinch the boys’ 16-under crown, and then returned to the court to turn back John Gregg Paz of Chao Pai, 21-12, 21-6 to add the boys’ under-18 to his collection.

“My hard work really paid off today,” said Escueta, who also ruled the boys’ 14-under title in the 2007 edition of the tournament after turning back Lance Erickson Bautista in the finals.

Magnaye, meanwhile, teamed up with Gian Carlo Manuel of JLTC/Battledore/Victor Plome/LSGH to topple the pair of Patrick Natividad and Charlo Tengco of GSF, 21-8, 21-14, for the boys’ 16-under doubles crown, before joining hands with sibling Kiko Magnaye of UST/Victor P-Come to repulse the pair of Randolf Balatbat and Ramon Dalo of Allied/Aztec and Club 650, 21-15, 21-19, for the boys’ 18-under doubles title.

In the high school-boys team division, Colegio Monterie de Pila-Laguna topped Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Laguna, 3-0, to secure the overall championship in this annual event presented by Toby’s Sports and Dunlop and supported by Inquirer.net, Philippine Star, Solar Sports, CS Sports, Thermos, Slazenger, Gold’s Gym, Gerflor Taraflex, Hershey’s Chocolates, SM Megamall, West Drive Badminton Center, Yellow Cub, Crumpler Bags, Equippe, Kontrol USA, Burlington Socks, Action and Fitness Magazine, Wave 89.1 and Mellow 94.7.