Alcalas dominate Ming Youth Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Malvinne and Mark Shelley Alcala posted a pair of straight-set victories to sweep the centerpiece Under-19 crowns in the PBA-Victor Ming Ramos Youth Cup Badminton Championships at the PSC Badminton Hall at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex yesterday.

Malvinne, the country’s No. 1 player, overpowered Mariya Sevilla with a superb all-around game, coming away with a 21-13, 21-10 romp in the girls’ finals while Mark clipped Jon Masongsong, 21-15, 21-16, to reign in the boys side.

Mark earlier whipped fellow national juniors team mainstay Wilson Lopez, 21-11, 21-14, to likewise claim the U-17 diadem in the annual five-day event held in honor of Philippine Badminton Association honorary chair and former First Lady Amelita “Ming” Ramos.

Airah Albo, also of the Phl Juniors squad, took the girls’ U-17 title after top seed Sarah Joy Barredo retired in the first set; Sevilla copped the girls’ U-15 plum with 21-12, 16-21, 21-15 victory over Barredo; while Joaquin Pangilinan of City Shuttle Pampanga held off Angelo David, 21-19, 21-15, to pocket the boys’ U-15 crown.

Mrs. Ramos, along with former President Fidel  Ramos, Alex Villamanca, president and CEO of Victor PCOME, and tournament director Conrado Co were on hand during the awards rites.

St. Scholastica’s Academy Bacolod’s Katrina Togado outplayed Angelique Ramos, 21-15, 21-10, to claim the girls’ U-13 title while Arthur Salvado Jr. of Independent-Davao City stunned joint top seed Earl Baes of Allied Victor-UP, 21-15, 5-21, 21-19, to snatch the boys’ U-13 diadem.

Joint No. 1 Yuan Tan of JLTC downed John Sanchez, 21-13, 21-10, and Maxene Olango of Sportszone-CDO/WBA whisked off Anthea Gonzalez, 21-9, 21-15, to bag the U-11 titles in the event sanctioned by the PBA headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, chair Manny Pangilinan and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez.