Cebu City—Bouncing back from a dismal outing the previous day, Ada Lagrada anchored Olympus Archery Club to a pair of victories in the recurve Under-21 women’s team and mixed team events, respectively, to emerge as the most bemedalled athlete at the end of the 1st Asean Youth Archery Championships here Saturday.
Learning her lessons from her heartbreaking loss in the Olympic round finals of the women’s recurve singles to teammate Charlene Santos last Friday, Lagrada was deadly accurate in adding two more mints to her collection in the competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
The world youth meet veteran combined with teammates Santos and Alexis Samantha Pioquinto in outclassing the Singaporean trio of Celestine Choo, Janice Lau and Tabitha Yeo 5-1 (50-49, 50-42, 49-49) in capturing the women’s team gold in the tournament also backed by the Cebu city government.
Lagrada then teamed up with Jonathan Ebbinghans Reaport in whipping the University of Baguio Archery Club pair of Renian Keith Nawew and Faith Anne Laruan 5-1 (31-26, 28-27, 32-32) to cap a fruitful day at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex.
She boosted her medal collection to four, counting her gold in the qualifying round and silver in the Olympic round, of the inaugural international youth tournament organized by World Archery Philippines also backed by FR Sevilla Industrial Corp. owned by WAP chairman Felizardo Sevilla Jr.
“I was able to make proper adjustments after my loss to Charlene last Friday and executed better today so I am happy to help our team,” explained Lagrada, 19, of her better outing in what could be her first and last outing in the Asean Youth Archery championships.
“This is a bittersweet experience because I believe this will be my last Asean Youth tournament since I will be turning 20 early in May next year and might not be eligible compete for the next one. It could be in the next two years so I will be overaged by then,” she pointed out.
Singapore’s Jyan Seow, Boxiang Tang, and Kaeden Wee, performing under the banner of Salt & Light Archery Club, topped Cebu Archery Club’s Aldrener Igot Jr., Zyril James Fano and Kien Zhyron Torreon 6-0 (53-50, 51-49, 55-52) in ruling the men’s Under-18 recurve team event.
Udyong Archery Club’s Irish Angel Licudan, Kyla Marie Pascua and Zajara Sky Petilla routed Metro Archery Club’s Jemina Kesiya Aglipa, Penelope Juli Aldiano and Mariella Liza Valbuena 6-0 (41-35, 47-39, 43-38) in capturing the women’s Under-18 recurve team championship.
WAP secretary general Dondon Sombrio was delighted over the outcome of the competition that drew close to 300 young archers from Southeast Asia as well as Chinese-Taipei, India and the United Arab Emirates.
“I am happy and relieved that we were able to pull this tournament off despite some hitches, including the rain. Based from our experience in organizing the event, I am confident we will ready to hose the next international event,” added Sombrio, who was the prime mover behind the meet.
“I would also like to thank the PSC, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the WAP board under president Atty. Clint Aranas and our other sponsors such as Tangent, Benel Archery and Postal Science Corp. for making 1st Asean Youth Archery Championships all possible,” he said.
