Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Badly needing support for 'Thailand campaign'
THEY make Cagayan de Oro and the province of Misamis Oriental proud by stamping off their class in the just-concluded 2007 National Age-Group chess championship in Mandaluyong city.
The 13-year-old Lennon Hart Salgados, an incoming second-year student of Corpus Christi School, played through undefeated in nine rounds (4 wins, 5 draws) to finish third in the 14-under boys bracket.
The same third-best effort in the 16-under boys level was accomplished by 16-year-old Richelieu Salcedo III, a native of Inubolan, Salay, Misamis Oriental, who had six wins, 2 draws and 1 loss.
The two also made their presence felt in the succeeding National Juniors championship where they almost cracked the top-5 circle--could be another milestone in their young chess career which got stalled only by a minor glitch in their late round matches.
Now the next question is: Are they qualified to represent the country in the Asean Age-Group chess championship set to be held next month in Thailand?
Even Manila-based coaches as well as NCFP tournament director Willy Abalos would encourage the CDO talents to try their luck in Thailand, knowing that the Asean competition is generally considered as much an easier field compared to the age-group tourney here.
"Madaling mag-kampeyon sa labas (Asean) kesa dito sa atin dahil sadyang magagaling ang mga Pilipino. Sayang ang talent nina Lennon at Jongjong kung hindi sila makasama sa Thailand dahil doon na sila mabibigyan ng break para makalaro sa World Youth," said Crispin, the father of Bohol pride Jedara Docena, former Rapid champion of the Asean tilt then held in Vietnam a few years ago.
But with the Philippines yet to ascertain the winning candidates in the May 14 elections, the local chessers can't expect politicians to support their cause considering the element of time that would make it difficult for them to pay attention on sports-related activity.
"Kung top-three lang per age-bracket kayang-kayang magpadala ni NCFP chair Prospero "Butch" Pichay dahil ang Vietnam nga, Indonesia at iba pang karatig na bansa eh sobra-sobra ang kanilang entries sa ASEAN. Ngayon eh hindi pa natin alam ang resulta ng eleksyon at kung manalo man mukhang alanganin pa rin dahil malapit na ang schedule ng ASEAN. Maliban na lang siguro kung may private company na mag-sponsor sa kanila," one NCFP insider told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Dubbed as "8th Asean Age-Group Chess Championships," it will be held on June 13-22 this year at the Jomtien Thani Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand.
In his official letter furnished to the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), event organizer Ignatius Leong stated that events to be competed in the U-8, 10, 12, 14 and 18 age groups for boys and girls are the standard (90 minutes with 30 seconds increment), blitz (5 minutes) and rapid (each player shall have 30 minutes to complete the game).
Entry fees are pegged at US$ 80 for standard chess, US$ 30 for rapid chess and US$ 10 for blitz chess.
"Kaya nilang mag-champion sa anumang kategorya (standard, blitz, rapid). Hanap lang kayo ng sponsor na mag-ambag ng P50,000 per head walang labis, walang kulang na makarating at maka-uwi na sila n'yan from Thailand. Ako na'ng bahala na umalalay sa kanila `don," said director Rosulo V. Cabusora who will accompany the NCR qualifiers to the prestigious Asean Youth chess meet.
