The Benguet Dancesport team is aiming for the gold in all the duo events in the Manila Open 2021 this weekend.

The team that has won a gold medal in two previous outings hopes to do better this time in the third online competition they will be joining after missing the very first one last January.

The team is eager to make a better showing in the two day online competition that will be streaming live over Youtube and Facebook.

Coach Charibelle Pingawan said “this time we are aiming for gold medal for all our duo events.”

She has high hopes for her male pair of Mark Gonzalo Benter and Mico Dumalos, who took the silver medals in the last two competitions.

“Mico and Mark (are) working hard on their duo routine. Making their movements sharper and more synchronized,” Pingawan said of the pair, who between themselves have accounted for the team’s three silver medals. Dumalos also took the silver in the individual in the First Diamond Online Dancesport Competition last month.

Last February, in the 8th Geraldine Online Dancesport Competition, where the pair took home the silver, while Erick Cabloy and Ashley Aniwas, as well as Jayson Abenoja were silver medalists also.

But the team’s debut in online competitions this year saw them bagging a gold medal with Mary Luz It-itan and Jessica Ogbinar in the Open Latin Duo for women.

They are ready to take on the challenge and win this time, Pingawan said.

They also have the motivation as she said: “Our athletes are actually more than motivated since overwhelming support are coming in from our local government, educational institutions, family and friends.”

“So talagang they are giving it all kasi they know there is a community rooting for them (So they are really giving their bests because they know that there is a community rooting for them),” she added.

She said that her wards are training hard and some of the athletes are competing in the higher category, Grade B (pre-amateur) “and our junior athletes will be competing over 80 competitors, so we’ve been preparing as much as we can from costumes, to technical team, to workshops to endurance training.”

The team will be competing anew at the Quads gym here in the provincial capital with local officials and friends supporting their campaign including provision of uniforms, entry fee and even meals.