The Paco Citizen Academy Foundation swept four individual events, while dominating three out of four team competitions at stake to claim the overall championship in the 21st Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation Inter-Scholastics Table Tennis Championship this weekend at Robinson’s Otis in Paco, Manila.
Inspired by the presence of their senior schoolmate, Keith Rhynn Cruz, who won the Under-19 class at the recently concluded World Table Tennis Youth Contender Championship in Palawan, the PCAF netters, except for the girls’ elementary class, stepped up to record the impressive success in the tournament organized by FCAAF and presented by the Table Tennis Association for National Development (TATAND) and Robinson’s Mall.
Khevin Cruz, younger brother of Keith Rhynn, who is currently the Philippine women’s no. 1, defeated Jahrzali Rivera in the all-Paco finals of the boys’ singles elementary class.
The 12-year-old Khevin also won a silver medal at the World Youth in the 11-under division last year.
Cruz won his second gold medal en route to being named Most Valuable Player after helping the PCAF boys’ elementary squad, which also consisted of Qeshaun Lau Crisostomo, Jharzali Rivera, and Efraim Jan Lau winning the gold medal against Xavier School San Juan, composed of Jaylem Cole Ting, Seth Matthew Peran Wee, Johann David Chan-Lim, and Keyang Thomas Yang.
“The tournament is part of the FCAAF celebration of its 35th founding anniversary. For over three decades, we established a strong grassroots’ sports program through promotions, event organizing and assistance not just for table tennis, but for other 17 sports disciplines under the FCAAF supervision,” said PCAAF president Natalie Sia, who led the awarding of medals and prizes for the winners, along with FCAAF Chairman of the Table Tennis Committee and TATAND honorary presidents Charlie Lim, Wilson Tan and Joey Sy.
The PCAF boys high school team of Cayl Brent Chavez, Marcus Jnash Chavez, and Jairus Rae Angeles beat St. Stephen High School, composed of Denzel Andrei Tan, Reigl Jude Emmanuel Yap, Justine Surewin Sy, Reily Jude Emmanuel Yap, and Liam Anderson Tiu.
The PCAF girls’ high school squad, made up of Marioni Chime Caoile, Kristen Ashley Allorder, Adelyn Kate Allorder, and Gytha Sofia Adelaine Valdez also claimed the gold medal against MGC New Life Christian Academy (Reese Tyler Hang, Rhian Denise Hang, Samantha Joyce Young and Abigail Hang).
Only St. Stephen High School, composed of Lyanne Victoria Gacias, Andrea Jade Tiu, and Myrie Sherise Yu, cut off PCAF’s (Myzette Riane Torres, Sofia Ibarrientos, and Ella Celestine Lai) streak by defeating the latter in the girls’ elementary team finals.
Cayl Brent Chavez was also a dominant force for PCAF by defeating Marcus Jnash Chavez in the boys’ singles high school class, while Marioni Chime Caoile won the gold medal in the girls’ singles high school against Adelyn Kate Allorde.
In the girls’ singles elementary finals, Myzette Riane Torres defeated Lyanne Victoria Gacias of St. Stephen High School.