Ateneo de Manila University banked on Lance Vargas to dethrone National University (NU), 3-2, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 men’s badminton at Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Cubao, Quezon City late Saturday night. The 19-year-old rookie from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental defeated Mark Velasco, 10-21, 21-9, 21-13, in the last singles match as the Blue Eagles clinched their sixth title in 10 years. “I was actually shocked by my performance, but my mindset heading into the game was just do my best and whatever the outcome is, I will just enjoy the game. It was the most important match because it’s do-or-die, so I just focused on every point and, eventually, won it,” said Vargas. Team captain Arthur Salvado Jr. downed Zed Monterubio, 21-12, 21-17, and Lyrden Laborte rallied past rookie MJ Perez, 17-21, 21-3, 21-4, to give Ateneo a 2-0 lead. But NU levelled after national athletes Julius Villabrille and James Villarante beat Salvado and Vargas, 21-15, 21-16, and Season 85 Most Valuable Player Solomon Padiz Jr. and Perez downed Laborte and Charles Bagasbas, 21-13, 21-14. “I’m very happy with how the boys performed. I always knew that they had it in them, and they finally showed it. I’m beyond proud of the team,” Ateneo head coach Kennie Asuncion said after the match. Ateneo’s other players are Justin Vanzuela (co-captain), Allen Penute, Cody Torres, and Earl Nathan Santos. University of the Philippines (UP) blanked University of Santo Tomas (UST), 3-0, to finish third for the second straight season. Kervin Llanes outplayed Sean Dela Cruz, 21-14, 21-11, and Jelo Albo prevailed over Lennox Cuilao, 21-9, 21-12, in the first two singles. Llanes and Albo trounced Kyle Adriel Basilio and Munir Bartolome, 21-17, 21-13, in the lone doubles match. Women’s basketball Meanwhile, Ateneo clobbered Far Eastern University, 79-66, at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday to complete the semifinal cast in women’s basketball. Kacey Dela Rosa had 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks for the Lady Eagles, who improved their record to 8-4. The other semifinalists are NU (11-1), UP and UST, both sporting 9-3 cards. “That was our initial goal, to make the Final Four so we made the last bus… Last year, we were just happy to make the Final Four but now, we’re looking forward to more,” Ateneo head coach LA Mumar said. Joann Nagma finished with 18 points while Shane Salvani and Jaina Del Prado added 12 and 10 points, respectively for the Tamaraws, who tied the Adamson University Lady Falcons in fifth place at 3-9.
Source: Philippines News Agency
Nearly 100 students from the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang and Hanoi took part in the Friendship Football Match 2023 ‘Orange Your Dream’ in the capital city on November 11.
The match was held by UN Women in collaboration with UNESCO, the Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi, the Ministry of Education and Training, the media centre of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Football for All Vietnam project in response to the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign (November 25 – December 10), and the national action month for gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence (November 15-December 15).
It highlighted the importance of sport to support diversity and equality so that individuals, regardless of their genders, are able to tap their potential to the fullest extent and fulfil their dreams.
In her opening remarks, Caroline Nyamayemombe, Acting Interim UN Women Representative in Vietnam, said that sport has affirmed its ability to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, stressing football can help bring the community together, improve health, relieve pressure, and control violence activities.
Violence against women and children remains a challenge for Vietnam. According to a government’s survey in 2019, every two in three women experienced one or more forms of violence by their husbands in their lifetime. Meanwhile, the survey on the Sustainable Development Goal indicators for children and women during 2021-2021 showed that more than 68% of surveyed kids aged 10-14 suffered physical punishment.
Along with joining in and cheering upon the players, the students had an opportunity to receive training from Mai Duc Chung, head coach of the Vietnam women’s football team, and engaged in a talk with national female football players, including Thanh Nha, Hai Yen and Vu Thi Hoa, and Vietnam’s first FIFA female referee Bui Thi Thu Trang, who are typical role models of Vietnamese women in sport./.
