LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Benguet Dancesport made a splash in its first international exposure and came home with three silver and five bronze medals aside four finalist in the Korea Open over the weekend.
Mico Dumalos led the charge of the young squad from the Benguet capital as he walked home with two silver medal finishes on top of a lone bronze medal in the two day competition.
Dumalos placed second in the 20-under solo male of chachacha, samba and rumba (CSR) and the same medal in the chachacha, samba, rumba and jive category (CSRJ).
In the pre-amateur category, Dumalos took his third medal, a bronze, in the CRJ competitions but failed to make podium in CSRJ after landing fifth.
His regular partner, Mark Gonzalo Benter, on the other hand took the bronze medals in the CRJ and CSRJ competitions. He also landed sixth in the CSRJ and a quarterfinalist in the CSR after a 10th place finish.
Betty Mae Agad provided the third silver medal for team Benguet and added a bronze medal.
Jayson Ace Abenoja, meanwhile, provided the fifth bronze and flashed a fourth place finish on the side.
Coach Charibelle Pingawan summed the Korea Open experience as: “It was extra challenging for the team since 50 percent of the events’ delegation are from the competitive foreign countries. Also the event have 80 percent Asian Adjudicators 20 percent Western adjudicators having different approach in selecting qualifiers and winners. But our team did not stand down rather we reviewed our Day 1 event and strategize how to play the game for day 2.”
She added: “With all the pressure and challenges yes we did enjoy our first international competition. I saw how our athletes fought from qualifying rounds to Final ranking and they did an excellent performance.”
The event was a learning experience for her wards as she said: “Not everyone made it to the finals but its only two things in the competition either we win or learn.”
And the greatest moral lesson for her young wards is “for the team is to keep fighting even at the very height of pressure and not to put down our guards.”
And she assured that they will train harder for competitions in the future as she added: “Technically we will continue to improve basics, routining and styling. Post evaluate competition performances and rankings to strategize for next competition.”
Meanwhile, the other finishers include Eiji Justine Balao, who made it to the quarterfinals of the chacha and jive category or CJ (18th) and 21st in the CRJ, while making it to the top 24 in the chacha and rumba (CR).
Erick Cabloy made it to the finals in the CR competitions, while a semi-finalist in CJ (7th) and CRJ (9th).
Ashley Abance had a good showing in the under 16 sole male after making it to the semis in the three categories he joined – CR at 7th, CJ at 7th and 9th in CRJ.
Roschan Escalera in the under 20 solo female wound up 13th in CRJ and 18th in CSRJ.
Jessica Ogbinar, also in the under 20 solo female, was 8th in CRJ and 9th in CSRJ. She was also 8th in CRJ in the pre-amateur and 11th in the CSRJ.
Mary Luz It-itan who competed in the under 20 solo female for CRJ and CSRJ, finished 9th and 12th, respectively and was 10th and 13th in the pre-amateur for both CRJ and CSRJ.
Jhosan Galvez, who competed in the under 20 solo female for CRJ and CSRJ was 11th and 13th, respectively, while 12th and 14th in the pre-amateur.
