BAGUIO CITY -- There was a comedy behind the gold medal finish of Cagayan de Oro’s Andrei Jose Yucada and Janna Mae Paculba.
The 15-year-old Yucada, a student of Opol National Secondary Technical School, was so upset after learning that Paculba could no longer make it to this year’s Batang Pinoy National Championships.
This, after Paculba’s parents Emmanuel and Cecilia cancelled her flight on Saturday, owing to Typhoon Ompong’s onslaught over Northern Luzon. She was supposedly with her father on that flight to Manila before they decided to cancel.
But, the 14-year-old Janna, an ace table netter of Corpus Christi School, insisted to her parents on that day, saying everything will only be a waste should she not come to the national championships.
“I told them that it’s a waste and I kept insisting to them,” said Janna, who represented the country during the Asian Schools Table Tennis Tournament last August in Japan.
In the afternoon of Saturday, her parents changed their mind. They booked a flight to Manila on Sunday and this time together with Janna Mae’s mother.
“Nakuratan mi kay napugos gyud ni Janna ug karon niuban ang mama,” said head coach Dario Hernane.
Yucada, himseFrias: The drama behind gold finish in table tennislf, could not believe that the Paculbas were coming.
“I should be happy because this is my last Batang Pinoy,” said Yucada, who was almost left in Manila after he misplaced his traveling bag.
With the duo now intact, Yucada and Paculba went on winning Cagayan de Oro’s second gold on Monday via 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 victory against their Pangasinan foes in three-straight sets in the cadet mixed doubles event.
Both of them experienced a turmoil in their semifinal match, but prevailed with a 3-2 win in the deciding final fifth set against the Batangas bets.