ANGELES CITY, Philippines – All it takes is the will to win.
Despite a lower back injury, Ray Reg unleashed powerful forehand topspins against Jerald Trinidad of Bulacan and led Team Angeles City Pampanga to bag the championship of the Mayor Ed Pamintuan Regional Table Tennis Cup in Marquee mall recently.
Reg won two consecutive sets (2-0) but lost in the third. He took control of the game in the fourth set and scored 11-3 to seal the team’s victory against the Bulacan players known to be members of the Junior Philippine team.
“We are the champions. This is for the Kapampangans. Sulit ang pinagpaguran natin,” said Reg who was in tears after the final match.
He stressed he was very thankful that teammate Carlo Puno managed to defeat his opponent in the singles A match of the modified Corbillion Cup.
Almost on the brink of defeat during the third set, Puno used short services to set third ball attacks to win. He won the last two sets and tied the game at 1-1.
However, Rolendio David and Joey Aguilar handily defeated their opponents in the doubles event, giving the team one point lead against Team Bulacan, 2-1. But Puno lost to Alexis Bolante forcing a 5th and final match.
“We know they are younger and better than us but we played as a team, we worked hard as a team and we won as a team,” Aguilar said.
Team Angeles City Pampanga also defeated Team Balanga City and Mariveles before reaching the finals. The Pampanga Table Tennis Club (PTTC) lost to Bulacan and bagged the third place.
Meanwhile, Carmie Sengson of PTTC defeated Lady Dawn Gudmalin of Bulacan, 3-2 in a nerve-wracking game in the 5th set to win the championship of the women’s singles. Trishia Perez of Holy Angel University lost to Gudmalin and placed 3rd.
At least 26 teams from various provinces in Central Luzon like Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan and Bataan joined the men’s team event. More than 50 players joined the women’s singles event.
The Angeles City Sports Office (ACSO), with sponsorship from Marquee mall, organized the tournament.
Rosever Pascua, head of ACSO, said the table tennis regional meet is part of the month-long Fiestang Kuliat celebration.
He said it is considered as one of the most prestigious sports events in Central Luzon sanctioned by the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines.
Pascua also said that the Pamintuan administration will continuously support sports programs like the staging of regional tournaments and competitions.
LINK: http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=744198
