Lao, Chua claim youth masters titles

MANILA, Philippines - Kim Lao and Kenneth Chua ousteadied their top-seeded rivals to crown themselves the 2009 National Youth Champions at the close of the 17th National Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships, held at Bowling Inn in Taft Avenue.

Lao, a mainstay of the national ladies team and representing Team Prima 1, defeated top seed Alexis Sy of TBAM, 223-195, for the gold in the girls’ masters. 

Lao and Sy disposed of separate rivals in the semifinals to arrange the duel for the gold. Sy turned back PBAP’s Niqui Bernabe, 268-183, while Lao repulsed three-gold medal winner Lara Posadas also of PBAP, 208-192 in the semifinals. Both Sy and Lao are products of the youth program in Cebu. 

Posadas took the bronze to add to her collection of three golds and one silver, and became the most bemedalled bowler of the four-day championships organized by the Philippine Bowling Congress Youth Committee.

In the boys’ side, Chua of TBAM welcomed the new year as the new national boys champion by defeating top seed and perfect-gamer Enzo Hernandez of Team Prima 1 in the finals, 237-225, to claim the boys masters gold medal. In the semifinals, Chua ousted Singles gold medal winner Renz Taylo, 226-203, while Hernandez turned back the challenge of Jerth Santos, 217-172.

It was the second consecutive title for Chua, who earlier won the collegiate title in the PBC Youth Annual championships also held at the same venue.

The race for the over-all team championship went down the line, as TBAM banked on the last minute heroics of Chua and Sy in the Masters to claim the Paeng Nepomuceno Youth Perpetual Cup.  

Behind its two gold, four silver and three bronze medals, TBAM totaled 29 points to claim the championship. PBAP took second with its 3-1-1 haul, while host MTBA came in third with 2-1-1.