PH jr shuttlers seize 12 golds

TOP BADMINTON siblings Malvinne and Mark Shelly Alcala powered the Philippines to a 12-gold medal romp in the Junior International badminton tournament held last weekend at Manhattan Beach Badminton Club in California.

Malvinne, ranked No. 15 by the Badminton World Federation in the junior girls’ singles, captured three gold medals in the under-19 and U22 singles and in the mixed doubles U19 with compatriot Ros Leonard Pedrosa.

Mark also picked up three golds, topping the boys’ singles U17 and U19 and doubles U15 with Joaquin Louis Pangilinan in the week-long tournament that pitted 114 players from seven countries.

Aside from his winning partnership with Malvinne, Pedrosa also ruled the boys’ singles U22 and the mixed doubles title in the U22 division with Flo Lamigo.

Pangilinan also topped the boys’ singles U15, while the partnership of Alexis Geverjuan and Wilson Joseph Lopez triumphed in the boys’ doubles U17.

Lamigo also won the  girls’ doubles U22 crown with Joella Geva De Vera, who reigned in the girls’ singles U17.

The annual tournament hosted by Manhattan Beach also drew players from the United States, Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Ghana and Peru. Jasmine W. Payo