Davao City chessers join nat'l age-group qualifier
-A A +AWednesday, January 30, 2013
DAVAO City's top youth woodpushers are all set to compete in the 2013 National Age-Group Chess Championship Mindanao qualifying set to open tomorrow, Thursday, in General Santos City.
Be-medaled Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus of Doña Carmen Denia National High School and Palarong Pambansa double gold medalist Ella Grace Moulic of Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) lead 10 other Dabawenyos seeing action in the four-day Swiss System format competition. Both are entered in boys and girls 16-below categories, respectively.
Literatus, however, may still have the option to skip the event as he already earned an outright entry to the grand finals that stakes slots to the 2013 Asean+ Age-Group Chess Championships slated June 8 to 17 in Bangkok, Thailand and in the Asian Youth Chess Championships in Mashdad, Iran on June 20-27.
It can be recalled that Literatus qualified to join the Asian Youth chessfest last year in Sri Lanka after winning three gold medals and two silvers in the Asean age-group held in Vietnam.
Also competing are John Ray Batucan (boys 20-below) of DCDNHS, Irish and Lorraine Yngayo (girls 12-below) of Davao Central College, John Marvin Miciano (boys 12-below) of Ateneo de Davao University, Bhing Joel Gimony of Jose Maria College and Kenneth John Placencia (boys 14-below), Dhona Yngayo (girls 16-below) of DCC, Kurth John Placencia (boys 10-below), John Dale Fernandez (boys eight-below) and Charlene Moulic (girls eight-below).
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) regional director James Infiesto, in a text message to Sun.Star Davao yesterday, said City Hall has yet to approve financial assistance for the General Santos City-bound chessers.
"Most players are going to General Santos on their own since it's just near," Infiesto said.
The NCFP regional chief said he was going to see Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio as of presstime to check if the city can extend aid to the players.
Most of the chessers were the ones who represented the city to the 2012 Mindanao Qualifying of the Batang Pinoy held in Dapitan City where Literatus swept six gold medals.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on January 30, 2013.
Sports
Forum rules: Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the discussion. Be coherent and respectful. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!
