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3rd time’s the charm for Arago in Shirley’s Classic
Ferdy Arago of Shirley’s Badminton Club slides forward for a backhand return against Community Badminton Club’s Andreau Galvez in this file photo taken during last year’s finals match. Arago finally beat Galvez after three tries in last weekend’s men’s singles A finals in the 2014 Shirley’s Badminton Classic. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Arago, who lost twice to Galvez in the two previous editions of the annual tournament, played solidly in the opening game and capitalized on his opponent’s erratic plays that resulted to a 21-19 tally.
He completed his breakout win after the Community Badminton Club member could no longer continue after suffering from cramps.
CBC’s Ezekiel Macario, on the other hand, topped the B class following a 21-19, 21-9 thrashing of SBC’s Joel Ortega.
SBC’s Leo Su topped the C division after a hard-earned 21-13, 21-18 win over 10-year-old A.J. Ortega of Taga Badminton Club.
Hanna Choi of SBC remained the women’s singles A division champion for the third straight year after a clinical 21-14, 21-12 win over CBC’s Janelle Pangilinan.
Choi, a veteran shuttler while in college in her native South Korea, just toyed with the youngster Pangilinan with a dizzying array of crosscourt and drop shots in her arsenal.
SBC picked up another singles crown in women’s B with Dianne Francisco beating CBC’s Nicolle Malasarte, 21-11, 23-21, while Rose Lazaro ruled the C division following a marathon three-set 21-19, 17-21, 21-16 win over Patricia Abantao of CBC.
SBC pairs also won three of the six doubles crowns contested with Glenn Buultjens and Sam Jones beating CBC’s Galvez and Deether Edralin in the men’s A division, 21-19, 21-13.
Youngson Yu and Jongmin Lee bested Pastor Pang and Oh Imbog for the men’s B crown, 21-19, 1-15, in an all SBC finale while, Choi teamed up with Alma Ortega to clinch the women’s A title after squeezing out a tough 21-13, 28-30, 21-17 decision over the Shirley’s duo of Lanie Bartolome and Windy Fernandez.
Pairs from CBC, Shirley’s, and Taga were the other doubles champions with Malasarte joining hands with Abantao to give the youngsters the women’s C tiara following a 23-21, 21-16 triumph over Baby Banadera and Vilma Reyes.
Su and Patrick Fernandez defeated Taga’s Taeho Kim and Tommy Kim, 21-9, 21-9, in the men’s C division while Loyda Ito and Shirley Kim gave Taga the women’s B trophy following a 21-15, 17-21, 21-15 triumph over the SBC pair of Julie Lee and Rowena Sison. (Jon Perez)
