Prisaa 7 adds 3 golds; delegation placed on alert

CEBU CITY, Philippines - The University of San Jose-Recoletos women’s badminton doubles of Flora Mae and Monyeen Armecin will go home with the gold medal for the Central Visayas Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa 7) as the five-day 2008 National Prisaa meet drew to a close in Zamboanga City yesterday. Aside from the two golds, University of Cebu outstanding table tennis player Michael Motel and USJ-R’s’ Gloria Belandres also won one each in table tennis. But as the five-day multi-sports event drew to a close yesterday, it also marked a day of fear as the reported bombing in Zamboanga City Cathedral made every member of the delegation wary for their safety. “We are all in alert status here now because of the bombing of the cathedral here at 4 a.m. Everybody is ready to leave," UC athletic director Bernard Ricablanca told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday. “The police and the military were on red alert and we are also on alert. But generally, it’s just like an ordinary day, only that we were told to be alert," Ricablanca said. Aside from the women’s double gold, Clint Armamento of Prisaa 7 also collected a silver medal in the men’s single, a bronze in the mixed-doubles from Jade Sumalinog and Flora Mae Armecin and a bronze in the men’s double by Jade Sumalinog and James Razon. Prisaa 7 also bagged the silver medal in the Badminton team event two days ago. Meanwhile, Zoe Mingueto of Silliman University in Dumaguete City took two silver medals at the swimming pool. Second Menguito, the most bemedalled women’s athlete in the Regional meet held last February here, finished second in the 100 meter and 50m fly. The women’s team of Clanel Celerio of USC, Maribeth Ababon of USC, Mary Joy Delosa of the Holy Name University of Tagbilaran City and Menguito won the bronze in 4x50m individual relay. The team also got another bronze in the women’s 4x100 relay courtesy of Kruzette Solijon, Katrina Rubi Gwencent Cayada of USC and Menguito of of Silliman University, while Menguito added a bronze in the 50m breast. Prisaa 7 sepak takraw team also ended up with a bronze medal. Showdown Meanwhile, there were no results yet available at press time in the basketball and volleyball games as the tournament managers were forced to transfer the venue indoors after heavy rains poured. In table tennis, Region 7 took three more gold medals in the final day of the competition courtesy of Motel, Glendo Nayre and Jay Eribert Impuesto. Motel, a fourth year Mechanical Engineering student from UC, defeated Danilo Barios from Region 6 in their finals showdown, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9, in their best of five championship game to take the gold medal yesterday. “Motel is a high-caliber player and he played the game at a higher level yesterday since he is already exposed in many competition particularly in the international level. Though he was not challenged since we were expecting to meet the National Capital Region (NCR) in the finals, he still played wel,l" said UC coach Jiji Honoridez yesterday. Motel also got his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. Honoridez, on the other hand, was also named as best coach, her fourth award in the National Prisaa. “Our hardship in the preparation paid off, since it is not easy to be on top to maintain the status as a champion and it’s really a blessing on us, particularly on my players health as they were physically and mentally fit during the competition," Honoridez said. On the other hand, Nayre and Impuesto, also of UC, easily won their game against Region 12 in the doubles competition via default as their opponents were 30 minutes late.- Sun.Star Cebu