Young Banal, Olaivar triumph

BAGO CITY—Flashy Hipolito Banal Jr. of Mandaue City trounced Willy Boy Domiquel, 23-9, last night to lead the winners of the PLDT-Abap Visayas Area boxing tournament at Bago Gymnasium  here.

The brother of pro boxer AJ pounced on Domiquel right at the start and pulled away to a 16-7 after the second round of their junior boys’ pinweight (48 kg) division final.

“This one’s for my brother,” said Hipolito, who at nine years old was taught the rudiments of boxing by AJ.

It was the fourth gold medal in regional and national meets for the freshman of Kabankalan National High School, winner in last year’s PLDT-Abap National Finals held in Bohol, last year’s Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association in Danao City and the 2010 Palarong Pambansa in Tarlac City.

Tagbilaran’s Orville King Olaivar bested Bago City A’s Mario Jaga, 8-3, for the junior boys’ pinweight (46 kg) division gold medal.

Other winners were Tagbilaran’s Kenneth Paul Gentallan in the junior boys’ flyweight (50 kg) category; Maasin’s Alemar Javier in the junior boys’ light bantam (52 kg) division; Bago’s  Joepher Montano in the junior boys’ bantam (54 kg) category;  Bago A’s Jossa Santisteban in the junior girls’ pinweight (46 kg) division; and Northern Samar’s Paul Sacupon in the youth boys’ pinweight (46 kg) category.

Abap president Ricky Vargas, vice president Manny Lopez, secretary general Patrick Gregorio and executive director Ed Picson awarded the medals to the winners  of the event which is part of Abap’s grassroots program.