Cardinals rule 24th BBEAL arnis championships

UNIVERSITY of Baguio struck 12 gold medals, six in the men's division and another six in the distaff, to win as the over-all champion at the close of the Arnis competition in the 24th Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League.

It was a sheer dominance for the UB Cardinals who dislodged Saint Louis University in the over-all standing for the national sport now seeing action in the annual collegiate league now on its second year as a regular event after it debut in 2009 as a demo sport.

The Cardinals also took one silver and four bronze in the men's division, while the distaff had two silver and three bronze medal.

Gold medalists for the Cardinals include Hanna Gammong (extra lightweight), Cliare Donga-as (half lightweight), Rosela Alvares (lightweight), and Novee Garwageo (half middleweight) in the women's division.

Hernan Galiling (bantamweight), Karl Alangui (half lightweight), Andre Dean Foman-eg (lightweight) all scored gold medals for the Cardinals in the full contact event while Foman-eg won the gold in the anyo event - single weapon while Galiling won the double weapon event.

The men's team composed of Galiling, Foman-eg, and Alangui won the judges nudge in the anyo - double weapon team event.

UB's Donga-as also took another two gold medals in the anyo event (single and double weapon) as she towed the team to another gold in the team single weapon event with Gaming and Novee Garwageo.

SLU, meanwhile, had three gold medals, one silver and four bronze in the men's side with a 3-3-3 medal haul in the distaff to land second in the over-all championship.

Angelica Garcia won it in the middleweight division, while Kris Chan had it in the featherweight for SLU in the ladies full contact event while the team of Chan, Ace Gonzales and Angelita Garcia took the gold in the women's anyo double weapon event.

The men's team of SLU lead by Michael Anayasan (featherweight)and Alvin Dela Cruz (half middleweight) won the gold for the full contact event while the team of Aldin Dela Cruz, Ryan Macadaeg, and Zues Poserio won the team anyo single weapon event.

University of the Cordilleras came in third with 1-1-1 and 2-1-6 gold-silver-bronze medal haul in the men's and women's division.

Striking the lone gold for the UC men's squad is Alvin Abalos who won it in the extra lightweight in the full contact event while Claire Cadiog (bantamweight) and Alvares Rosela (lightweight) also won the gold medals in the distaff.

Philippine Military Academy, 2009's over-all champion had to settle for fourth with one gold in the men's side courtesy of Roden Basadre in the middleweight division with three silvers and two bronze while women's division finished with four silvers and one bronze.

Benguet State University had one silver and two bronze while Pines City Colleges mustered three bronze in the men's division while Baguio Central University placed last in the women's division with one silver and one bronze. (Roderick Osis)