By Jason Andrew Vila

Loud cheers and the sound of plastic balls smashing against wood filled Robinsons Antipolo’s atrium during the second day of the 5th Ynares Cup Table Tennis Tournament organized by Antipolo Table Tennis Athletics Club (ATTAC) in partnership with the City Government of Antipolo. Participants for the men and women’s singles matches battled each other even as the competition encouraged players who have a talent for the sport to come out and be discovered.

The table tennis tournament categorized players into two categories: Ranked and Non-ranked. Both categories were further divided into with men’s and women’s.

Rodolfo “Pong” Ducanes, Secretary General of the Philippine Table Tennis Federation shared the importance of conducting grassroots tournaments like this event.

“Dito mo makikita yung mga bata na emerging do’n sa sport. Katulad dito (Antipolo). Di namin alam na marami pa lang mga batang mahihilig. Magagaling pa,” he said.

He also thanked the organizers which included the Antipolo Lions Club and Robinsons Antipolo as he discussed how Table Tennis tournaments are typically done in air-conditioned and high-ceiling venues for a proper competition.

Plenty of games were played in the event with several of the finals matches feeling like its straight out of the UAAP games with schools like Far Eastern University, University of Sto. Tomas, University of the Philippines and Ateneo De Manila sending some of their players to participate in the event with FEU dominating most of the matches bagging six of the 12 top spots in the event.

Here is the list of winners for the 2nd Day of the 5th Antipolo Table Tennis Tournament:

Non-ranked Men’s Singles: Champion Andrew Lemon (ADMU) Trophy + 2000; 1st Runner Up, Christian Golez (FEU); 2nd Runner Up, Renzo De Guzman (FEU), Peter Shean Cubio (FEU).

Non-ranked Women’s Singles: Champion Aizel Rom (FEU); 1st Runner Up Liezl Joy Cañada (FEU); 2nd Runner Up Trexie May Alarcon (UST) Danaia Erica Reblora (SBC).

Class C Men’s Singles: Champion Tuazon Gavin – SBU Taytay; 1st Runner Up Ducosin Jr. Pong – UPIS-PRTI; 2nd Runner Up Soliveros, Kristian Quinones, Kyle (Adamson).

Class C Women’s Singles: Champion Alarcon Treximay (UST); 1st Runner Up Reblora, Danala Erica SBU; 2ndRunner Up Obaña, Faye- UPIS Prosia, Rikki- FEU.