Andrea Robles bagged two gold medals in the women’s compound at the 16th Philippine Archery Cup Leg 3 which was co-hosted by the cities of Mandaue and Cebu from July 22-24.
Robles, 24, topped the qualifying round, beating 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) mixed team gold medalist Rachelle dela Cruz and three-time SEAG gold winner Jennifer Chan.
She prevailed over Dela Cruz and five-time SEAG champion Joann Tabañag in the Olympic round.
“I’m happy with my results this tournament. I’ve been working really hard these past couple of months and I’m glad that it paid off. There is, of course, still a lot of room for improvement and like every tournament, there are things I learned that I can use to work on getting better. It’s back to training for me to get ready for the next leg,” said Robles, the first Filipino gold medalist at the 2019 Indoor Archery World Series in China.
Vietnam SEA Games mixed team silver medalist Paul Marton Dela Cruz ruled the men’s division in the qualifying round. Johann Olaño finished second and Flor Matan placed third.
Matan, the Vietnam SEAG bronze medalist, bounced back in the Olympic round, winning the gold medal over Dela Cruz. Olaño was third.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle Monica Bidaure also captured two gold medals in the women’s Open recurve category. She defeater her elder sister Pia Elizabeth Angela and Phoebe Nicole Amistoso in the qualifying round. The results were the same in the Olympic round.
Incidentally, the Bidaure siblings and Amistoso pocketed the women’s team gold medal in the Vietnam SEAG.
The Bidaure sisters and Robles are among the eight athletes selected for the Ayala Center For Excellence in Sports (ACES) pilot program Atletang Ayala early this year.
In the men’s Open recurve category, Jason Emmanuel Feliciano defeated Girvin Cullen Nigel Garcia and Renian Keith Nawew to win the gold medal. Nawew regained his form in the Olympic round, clinching the gold medal over Rogelio Miguel Tremedal and Feliciano.
Also winning two gold medals were Gianmarco Federico Santos (boys U-13 recurve), Girvin Cullen Nigel Garcia (boys U-21 recurve), Keturah Gonzales (girls U-21 recurve), Shirlyn Ligue (women’s Barebow recurve), Kenneth John Bernal (men’s Barebow recurve), Francisco Naranjilla (men’s 50+ recurve), Kristine Madeline Ibag (women’s U-18 compound) and Zhack Randolf Torreon (men’s U-21 compound).
The other gold medalists were: Qualifying round (Recurve) – Edward Justin Tanco (boys U-15), Jeremiah Adrian Basadre (boys U-18), Mishka Blu Ejercito (girls U-10), Cassandra Louise Enecio (girls U-13), Guiliana Vernice Garcia (girls U-15), Chevy Marian Lim (girls U-18); Qualifying round (Compound) – Alon Yuan Jucutan (men’s U-18), Arthur Azcuna (men’s 50+), Annika Denise Divino (women’ U-21); Olympic round (Recurve) – Maurice Keith Rodrigo (boys U-15), Miel McKenzie Achilles Cipriano (boys U-18), Maegan Kirsten Valencia (girls U-10), Elizah Viah Abarri (girls U-13), Maria Gabriella Patoc (girls U-15), Samantha Alexis Pioquinto (girls U-18) and Olympic round (Compound) – Jervie Arigo (women’s U-21).
According to World Archery Philippines secretary general Rosendo Sombrio, the fourth and final leg will be held in October.
The results of the four-leg Philippine Archery Cup will determine who will compete in the Cambodia SEA Games and Hangzhou Asian Games next year, and the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier. (PNA)
