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Choi, Galvez stretch streak in IT&E badminton tourney
Hannah Choi returns to Lanie Bartolome during a mixed doubles A game in the IT&E badminton tournament early this month at the TSL Sports Complex. Choi, who partnered with Glenn Bluutjens, won the women’s singles A title last Saturday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Choi, who defeated Angie Ito (2011 and 2012) and Jen Savellano (2013) in the last three division championship games, kept her reign in the annual tournament after sweeping Janelle Pangilinan in the finals, 21-16, 21-18. Joining Choi and Pangilinan in the Top 3 was Havikka Farro, who outclassed Lanie Bartolome in the consolation match last Friday, 21-16, 21-23, 21-13.
In the men’s A singles, Galvez asserted his mastery over Ferdie Arago after notching a 21-14, 21-16 victory in last Saturday’s finale. It was Galvez’s third straight finals win against Arago, having beaten the latter in the 2012 and 2013 title matches. Galvez’s first championship in the IT&E-sponsored tournament came in 2011 when he topped Dick Guintu. Completing the Top 3 of the men’s singles A was Glenn Bluutjens, who defeated Ezekiel Macario, 21-12 23-21.
After missing the podium in the men’s singles A, Macario triumphed in Class B, following a three-game victory over Deether Edralin, 14-21, 21-8, 21-16. In the third place match, Joel Ortega needed only two games to prevail against Kelvin You, 21-14, 24-22.
Patrick Fernandez also took the short route to the Promised Land in the men’s singles C after outclassing Raphael Zapanta in two games, 21-19, 21-16. A.J. Ortega duplicated Fernandez’s straight game win after downing Jeremy Montenejo in the consolation match, 21-13, 21-17.
In other results, Toshiko Obata reclaimed the Class B tiara, while Nicole Malasarte clinched her first Class C crown in the IT&E tournament.
Obata, who lost to Pangilinan in last year’s finals, came out the winner this time, slipping past Windy Fernandez in the Saturday title game, 21-18, 22-10. In the Class C finals, Malasarte, who lost in the semis to eventual champion Diane Francisco last season, redeemed herself this year with a 20-10, 21-10 spanking of Mykki Caracut. Malasarte also made it to the podium in the Class B, as she edged Loida Ito in the third place match, 21-15, 21-16. In Class C’s consolation tiff, Patricia Abantao won over Roxe Lazaro, 21-17, 21-14.
