Pinay archer Tagle bags YOG berth

FILIPINA archer Nicole Marie Tagle earned a spot in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games ( YOG) after topping the secondary tournament in the recently concluded Rosario 2017 World Youth Archery Championships in Argentina.

Tagle, ranked No. 93 in the world, sizzled with seven sets against the three of Japanese Ruka Uehara to claim the top spot in the secondary match and secured one of the 16 girls’ Olympic slots at stake in the qualifying tournament.

The 15- year old national athlete from Dumaguete City bested Sogand Rahmani of Iran in the semifinals, 73, and Mimi Raihan Yazid of Malaysia, 6- 2, in the quarterfinals.

“We are very happy in the World Archery Philippines (WAP) that she qualified for. I am expecting it since I know her capacity and skills as an archer,” said WAP secretarygeneral Rosendo Sombrio in an interview with on Saturday.

It was Tagle’s resumption victory after bowing out to Uehara in the primary tournament, where she lost, 0-6, in the fourth round of women’s recurve cadet division.

Completing the 24 nations who won quota places for the Buenos Aires 2018 YOG were Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, and the Philippines.

The five-man Philippine team was represented by Tagle, Angela Bidaure, Gabrielle Monica Bidaure, Jonathan Reaport and Ethan Zafra.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is still eligible to send a male archer to YOG provided he qualifies in the continental qualifier in Bangladesh in November.

Sombrio said they would conduct a qualifying tournament to determine who shall represent the country in the continental qualifiers.