INQUIRER Sports

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD MALVINNE ANN VENICE Alcala powered the Philippines girls team to a bronze medal finish in the Badminton Asia Youth Under-16 championships over the weekend in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Alcala won all her singles matches in the 10-nation event that included powerhouse Malaysia and Thailand at the S. Thomas College indoor sports complex in Mount Lavinia town.

Alcala outlasted S. Naqui of India, 17-21, 21-13, 21-17, before teaming up with Gelita Castillo in doubles to defeat M. Marishna and P.V. Sindhu, 21-10, 21-14, for a 2-1 triumph that sent them to the semifinals.

But the Filipino youth shuttlers ran into the strong Malaysians, which along with Thailand was seeded into the semifinals, and lost, 2-1.

Dia Nicole Magno dropped the first singles to M.K. Chow, 21-9, 21-13, in the matchup against Malaysia. But Alcala revived hopes after a thrilling 16-21, 21-19, 21-13 triumph over Y.F. Lim in the second singles.

However, Alcala and Castillo fell short against Chow and Lee in the doubles 21-16, 21-14.

Thailand beat Malaysia, 2-1, in the finals.