By JONAS TERRADO
BEIJING – The Table Tennis Association for National Development (TATAND) picked up seven victories against their Chinese counterparts Friday at the start of their goodwill meet held at the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports here.
Army’s Xydhe Kim Ramos, 23, won all his two matches to highlight TATAND’s performance after the first of the two-day competition aimed at helping foster ties between the Philippines and China through table tennis.
Twenty-year-old John Misal of UAAP men’s champion National University, Alexis Bolante of San Beda and University of Santo Tomas’ Danica Marielle Alburo, Far Eastern University’s Rose Jean Fadol, 22, and La Salle-Zobel’s Dino Marcelo, 16, each won a match for the Filipino contingent.
Misal and Alburo both won 3-0, Bolante and Marcelo prevailed 3-2 and Fadol secured a 3-1 victory over their Chinese foes.
The matches were attended by many-time world champion Liu Wei, who was greeted by Federation of Filipino Chinese Associations of the Philippines President and Uni-Orient Travel Agency Chairman Stephen Techico, PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, Philippine Embassy Third Secretary JJ Domingo and TATAND officials led by honorary presidents Charlie Lim and Philip Uy.
“We hope that these young athletes can learn and improve and spread the sport of table tennis so that it may become a new brand that we can promote to outsiders, serving as a new bridge for the Filipino-Chinese friendship,” said Techico, who has sponsored the annual goodwill matches that began in 2015.
Players who are part of the 52-man delegation are Bacolod’s Areanel Theofer Ariola and Marell Lagunday, San Beda’s Abrianne Dominique Nuevo and Aubrey Lyn Faye Solis, La Salle Zobel’s Neo Angelo Laudato, Mapua’s Charles Joshua Lim, NU’s Romualdo Ramiro Jr. and Judit Yulde, UST’s Paul Michael Que and Sherlyn Love Gabisay. Grace Christian College’s Sean Ian and Evan Uy, Paco Chinese School’s Kaela Deine Aguilar and Kheith Rhynne Cruz, Pasig Table Tennis Association’s Jelaine Monteclaro and Danica Galang, La Salle’s Jamaica Dianne Sy and Xavier’s Johndayl Christopher Que.
