YOUNG Filipino woodpushers who participated in the recently-concluded Singapore International Chess Festival at the Jurong East Sports Complex bagged a total of 9 medals in Singapore on Sunday.
Michelle "Mitch" Yaon of Calamba City, Laguna, split the point with Sushmitha G of India to finish with 6.5 points in eight games and complete a wire-to-wire win in the Girls U-17 for the coveted gold medal.
"Nagpapasalamat po ako sa suporta ng Laguna government, NCFP, PSC at POC at ng pamilya ko po sa natamo ko pong tagumpay," said St. Simon Montessori School top player Yaon, also the singing chessplayer of the Philippines, who was once of the contestants of Willing-Willie program Wiltime Bigtime portion on Channel 5 (TV5).
"Alay ko po sa bayan po itong gintong medalya." added Yaon, who had also encountered Charice Pempengco 3x in her past singing contest in Laguna.
Dennis Gutierrez III of San Fabian, Pangasinan scored a crucial victory over Jiddan Firman of Indonesia to top the Open U-8 division with 8.0 points.
FIDE Master Paulo Bersamina of Pasay City capped the countrys domination in the Open U-14 with a victory against Ooi Zhi Yang of Singapore to finish with 8.0 points and run away the title with a full point margin over compatriot Jerad Docena of Bohol while Vince Angelo Medina of Far Eastern University-FERN, Quezon City halved the point with Jodi Setyaki Azarya of Indonesia to finish with 7.0 points and capture the Open Under-17 title.
Docena grabbed the silver in the Open U-14; Marc Christian Nazario of Quezon City won the bronze medal in the Open U-17; Julius Gonzales of Marikina City went home the bronze emedal in the Open U-11; Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem of Iloilo won the bronze in the Girls U-11 and Mae Ann Joy Baclayon of Manticao, Misamis Oriental won the bronze medal in the Girls U-8 category.
"Magandang senyales ito para sa mga young chess players natin. They showed na kaya nilang makipagsabayan and manalo in international competitions," said National Chess Federation of the Philippines chairman/president Prospero "Butch" Pichay, Jr. The NCFP in collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made the trip possible for the Philippine delegation. Other supporter that includes Laguna Governor Jeorge E.R. Ejercito Estregan, Calamba City mayor Joaquin M. Chipeco and St. Simon Montessori School.
Meanwhile, Grandmaster Richard Bitoon finished tied for second in the 2nd ASEAN Men Campomanes Cup along with GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia and Internatioal Master Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam. They finished with 6.0 points, just behind champion Vietnamese GM Cao Sangs 6.5 points. There were disappointments elsewhere. Woman FIDE Master Marie Antoinette San Diego failed to live up to her top billing in the Girls U-14 and finished with only 5.0 points in the nine-round event, two points behind winner WFM Najiha Hisham Nur of Singapore and even half point lower that compatriot Shania Mae Mendoza. Veterans Alex Milagrosa and Arlan Cabe also put up disappointing efforts in the final round of the 8th Singapore Open. They needed only to hold their respective opponents into a draw to hand reigning national champion Mari Joseph Turqueza the title. But they crumbled under pressure with Milagrosa losing to GM Eldar Gasanov of Ukraine and Cabe bowing to FM Andrean Susilodinata of Indonesia. Turqueza, who beat Singapore-based Filipino Robert Suleo, Jr., ended up third after the tiebreak. Susilodinata won the title followed by Gasanov.
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