Castilo-Magno bags twin PBaRS doubles

MANILA, Philippines - Gelita Castilo and Dia Nicole Magno kept their composure and outsteadied the fancied pair of Malvinne Alcala and Danica San Ignacio, 21-15, 17-21, 21-19, to keep the Open women’s doubles crown in the MVP Sports Foundation-Bingo Bonanza Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) tournament at the Pohang Badminton Courts in Bacolod City last Sunday.

The Castilo-Magno tandem also dethroned Bianca Carlos and Patrisha Malibiran in the Under-19 girls doubles, pulling off a 21-19, 21-15 victory in the event put up by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Rep. Albee Benitez and businessman-sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan.

Those twin victories netted Castilo and Magno total earnings of P90,000, including P70,000 in the Open category of the weeklong tournament backed by official equipment sponsor Victor, exclusively distributed by PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc.

Castilo and Magno, which trounced the pair of Cheska Bermejo and Rosalee Soberano for the Open crown in the event’s inaugurals last March, bucked a second set meltdown with a tough stand in the decider to eke out the victory and foil Alcala’s bid for a third title in the second leg of the four-stage ranking circuit.

Alcala earlier crowned herself the Open singles champion with a come-from-behind 15-21, 21-19, 21-10 victory over Castilo then teamed up with Ronel Estanislao to beat Paul Vivas and Ana Patricia Barredo, 21-18, 21-12, for the mixed doubles plum in the Open division of the event supported by PLDT-Smart Foundation, Gatorade and Powersmash with The Philippine STAR, TV5, Badminton Extreme Philippines Magazine, Jam 88.3, Wave 89.1, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT and 103.5 WOW! as media partners.

Estanislao and Vivas took the Open men’s doubles crown with a 21-10, 24-22 win over Aries delos Santos and Gabriel Villanueva.

Vincent Manuel and Alvin Morada also retained their crown in the Under-15 boys doubles, beating Paolo Barrios and Patrick Gecosala, 21-17, 21-19, while Allysa Leonardo and Amabel Sumabat took the girls’ doubles crown with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Amica Du-Ay and Pamela Tan.

Manuel and Sumabat then teamed up to dominate Wilfred Deato and Leonardo, 21-15, 21-15 for the mixed doubles diadem.

JC Clarito and Flo Lamigo bagged the U-19 mixed doubles title with a tough 20-22, 21-9, 24-22 victory over Kevin Cudiamat and Janelle de Vera while Ivan Angsico and Jose Martinez copped the U-19 boys’ doubles diadem with a 21-10, 21-13 triumph over Carlos Cayanan and Theodore Co.