Laguna team dominates junior events of Yonex Badminton RP Open

MANILA, Philippines – A team from Laguna has showed its dominance in the junior events of the 2008 Yonex-Sunrise Philippines National Open Badminton Championships at the Yonex Philippines Badminton Club in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City. After the two-day elimination round on November 22 and 23, the Whackers Badminton Academy of Victoria secured 23 of the 88 semifinal slots contested in 24 junior events in six age categories. WBA showed its dominance in the girls’ 16-and-under category after grabbing three of the four semis berths at stake. Janelle De Vera and Pauline Ramos led WBA’s charge after completing a 21-11, 21-11 demolition of Mariel Lomingkit and Mary Lucio of Jaime Llanes Training Camp (JLTC)/Battledore in their quarterfinal match. The pair of Krisnin Yang and Anna Barredo and the Vicka Ella Dorado-Pia Fabros tandem joined De Vera and Ramos in the final-four round after also beating their respective foes as WBA posted a 26 percent winning clip. Allied Badminton Team and JLTC/Battledore captured 13 semis spots each while MSI Malolos Bulacan netted nine slots and the Golden Shuttle Foundation/Asuncion Badminton Center bagged eight. Escoses Training Camp-Yonex Philippines Badminton Club (ETC-YPBC) Carlo Remo and Cassandra Lim, the top seeds in the 12-and-under boys and girls singles, also made it to the semifinals along with Philippine National team member Karyn Cecilia Velez of the Golden Shuttle Foundation in the girls 18-and-under division. Games in the other events in the Seniors and Open categories started Monday with all finals matches – including the juniors division, which will serve as the backbone of the Philippine national team in the future – taking place on Sunday, November 30. – GMANews.TV