Moreno, Gotuaco grab YOG berths

The Philippines secured two outright slots in next year’s Youth Olympic Games after archers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Bianca Roxas Chua-Gotuaco dominated their respective categories in the recent Asian championships and Continental Qualifying Tournament for 2014 YOG in Chinese Taipei.

Both standouts of Palarong Pambansa, Batang Pinoy and other national competitions, the 15-year-old Moreno and 16-year-old Gotuaco bested competitors from 10 other countries to become the first Filipino athletes to qualify for the YOG in Nanjing.

Moreno fought off the challenge of 17 other archers to make the semifinal of his event, beating Prennoy Muroy of Bangladesh to clinch the YOG slot, before bagging the gold by defeating Panjiaji Bukhaji Rahmat of India.

Gotuaco drubbed Mongolia’s Oyuntungalag Chimedtseren to book her second straight YOG appearance. The Nanjing Games is slated Aug. 16 to 21.

The format was double 60-meter distance of 36 arrows per set with the finalists automatically earning slots in YOG. The Philippines was the only country to qualify more than one archer.

The young pair have become popular among their fellow athletes, who likened them to the main characters of the popular movie franchise Hunger Games.