Record field kicks off chase in PBaRS meet

MANILA, Philippines - A busy first day, with over 250 matches, kicks off hostilities in the P1 million MVP Sports Foundation-Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) Makati leg today in the biggest gathering of current and upcoming stars chasing cash prizes, ranking points and possible spots in the national pool.

Games start at 8 a.m. and will run throughout the day until 8:40 p.m. at Powersmash in Makati City as organizers stretched the playing hours to accommodate the record field of close to 700 entries fighting it out for top honors in 15 events.

That includes the centerpiece Open men’s and women’s singles, which stake P70,000 to the winners, the boys’ and girls’ U-19 and U-15 singles, the Open, boys’ and girls doubles and the mixed doubles.

The Open men’s singles, the Under-19 and U-15 boys’ singles have lured a huge 128-player field each, according to tournament director Nelson Asuncion. For details and results, log on to www.pbars.com.

While members of the national pool are expected to assert their might over the lesser lights, reversals are not being ruled out with the aspiring players, particularly from the provinces, raring to prove their worth in a bid to gain ranking points in the five-day championship sponsored by MVP Sports Foundation.

Thirty matches in the boys’ U-19 singles fire off the action in 10 Powersmash courts with Jerickson Oba-ob clashing with James Quimbao, Akishiete Hilario facing Nikolas Bellosillo, Lawrence Batalla meeting Leo Orsolino, Ralph Sotto colliding with CK Clement and Rey Chan mixing it up with Nathaniel Pineda.

Also on tap in the event, organized by the Philippine Badminton Association, headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, chairman and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan, and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez, are the U-15 boys’ and girls’ singles, the men’s Open singles, the U-19 girls singles, the Open, U-19 and U-15 mixed doubles, Open men’s and women’s doubles, and U-19 and U-15 mixed doubles.

Late in the day, top seed Toby Gadi, who drew an opening round bye, opens his bid for a sixth straight Open men’s singles crown against Derek Bondoc while No. 2 Paul Vivas and Emmanuel Cabalfin will close out the long first day action at 8:40 p.m.

The eliminations will be played at Powersmash on Oct. 27-28 with the quarters, semifinals and the finals slated at Makati Coliseum on Oct. 29-31.

Sanctioned by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, the event is backed by PBA Partylist (Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta), Gatorade, Badminton Extreme Philippines Magazine, Victor PCome Industrial Sales Inc., Vineza Industrial Sales, Sincere, Krav Maga Philippines and TV5 with Enervon as minor sponsor.

Top seed Gelita Castilo and No. 2 Bianca Carlos, the defending Open singles titlist, head the Open women’s singles field that includes Bianca Legaspi, Danica Bolos, Jennifer Cayetano, Cassandra Lim, Elaine Malelang and Kristina Tan.

Carlos is also the defending champion in the U-19 class that also features Elisha Ongcuangco, Patricia Malibiran, Ma. Victoria Vizmonte, Janelle de Vera, Angelica Muyrong and Lim, while Justin Natividad heads the U-19 boys field along with Karl Foronda, JC Clarito, Lorenzo Yason, Joshua Malelang and Clarence Filart.