EXTRA INNING

Muaythai optimistic

The Muaythai Association of the Philippines (MAP) hopes to do well and contribute to the success of the country in the coming 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila.

By doing well, MAP means “winning at least four of the nine gold medals at stake in the biennial competition scheduled Nov. 30-Dec.11.

“Walang duda dyan na kaya natin,” said MAP secretary-general Pearl Managuelod said during the 35th “Usapang Sports” presented by the Tabloids Organization Philippine Sports (TOPS) on Thursday at the National Press Club in Intramuros.

“Sigurado ako we will have medals in all nine events in the SEA Games, pero sa gold hindi ko masasabi,” added Managuelod, who is taking a break in her Sports Psychology studies at the University of Ottawa in Canada.

Managuelod, however, did not reveal the names of the muaythai athletes who will most likely win gold medals for the country. “Baka ma-scout tayo ng mga kalaban,” she said.

Ceres-Negros fans streak

Ceres-Negros extended its winning streak to 10 matches after rolling past Stallion-Laguna, 5-0, in the Philippines Football League at the Aboitiz Pitch in Lipa City, Batangas recently.

Spanish striker Bienvenido Maranon scored twice to extend his tally to a league-best 19 goals while Mike Ott, Carli de Murga and Robert Lopez Mendy also found the back of the net for the Busmen to solidify their hold on top spot in the league.

The defending two-time champions improved to 31 points after beating Stallion for the second straight time. Ceres was held to a 2-2 draw by the same club during the league opener last May.

Air Force notched only its second win of the campaign by topping Mendiola FC 1991, 1-0, at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite. (Jonas Terrado)

3x3 Elite champion as PH representative

The 3x3 Elite League Manila will hold its second staging on Sept. 20 to 22 with the winner getting a chance to represent the Philippines.

Open to players aged 18 to 40 years old, the team that emerges champion of the 3x3 tourney will win $3,000 plus an all-expense paid trip to Beijing to compete in the SINA 3x3 Elite League.

Elimination round matches of the event organized by Mediapro Asia and SINA in partnership with the National Basketball League and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is slated at Dumlao Sports Center with the championship set Sept. 22 at the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City.

JP Rabe, Junard Caparida, Gesmar Isorena and Robert Sayawan of the Dasmariñas Ballers Club represented the country after ruling last year’s 3x3 Elite League Manila tilt.

No denying Thai lass

LIPA CITY, Batangas – Nemittra Juntanaket staved off an early threat from Ajira Nualraksa then hit a clutch birdie on No. 12 to check a brief skid and pull away en route to securing a breakthrough victory on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour with a 71 in the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic here yesterday.

Bracing for a final round shootout in hot, windy conditions with fellow Thais Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro and Nualraksa, Juntanaket outshot her rivals and went 3-up with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 but stumbled with three bogeys in a six-hole stretch from No. 6, enabling the rest of the best to close in again. But she quickly dashed their hopes with a birdie on the 12th as she built another three-stroke cushion over her nearest pursuer – and with no able to put up a strong finish, the 22-yearold Pha-Yao native rolled to a whopping six-stroke triumph on a 216 total she spiked with another birdie on the difficult closing hole.