THE Cebuanos opened their bid in the 42nd International Children’s Games in San Francisco, California, USA on a sour note as all of the lawn tennis bets were wiped clean and out of contention at the start of the competition yesterday.
The Lagman siblings Jessica and Jacob and Ariel Torion failed to make an impression as they lost in their respective first matches in tennis held at the Golden Gate Tennis Courts.
Jacob, a top junior player in Cebu, succumbed to the prowess of Chih Jen Ho of Taipei City in a short, 2-6, 0-6 loss.
His sister, Jessica, enjoyed a bye on the first round, but squandered this advantage as she was quickly eliminated when she was clobbered by Zala Fendre of Velenje, 0-6, 1-6.
Torion, meanwhile, suffered the worst as he failed to score a single game over David Aschaber of Innsbruck, 0-6, 0-6.
Nothing changed in the doubles competition of the boys division as Lagman and Torion also bombed out of contention when they bowed to Kaohsiung’s Kai Wen Lai and Chung Sheng Yu.
With this, the best Torion and Jacob could come up with is a more decent finish in the losers’ bracket.
With the early elimination of the Cebuano netters, the Greater Cebu Sports Organizing Committee, which organized the Cebuanos’ trip to San Francisco, will be pinning its hopes on the table tennis players Dannel Jay Tormis of University of Cebu and Jean Philippe Jawad-Honoridez of Colegio del Sto. Niño.
GCSOC had planned to bring a team of football players and Cebu’s tennis sensations Sally Mae and brother Bernardine Siso but this did not materialize.
Budget
In fact, in the main draw of the girls division, Sally Mae’s name was included but had to be scratched out at the last minute and beside her name, the word ‘withdrew’ was placed.
The Sisos were denied entry to the USA by the American embassy.
GCSOC only managed to bring these five players, who had to raise a portion of the budget as GCSOC did not fully spend for the trip.
The games in San Francisco, California attracted 2,000 young athletes, between 12 to 15 years old, from 100 cities representing 50 countries.
There are only eight sports that are featured in the meet—tennis, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, football, swimming, golf and track and field.
The event is to foster understanding and friendship among the competing players. The events are scattered among the world-famous Golden Gate Park, the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University and AT&T Park. (MCB)
