CAGAYAN de Oro’s pair of Zhaoyu Capilitan and Mary Janelle Tan and Misamis Oriental’s Keith Adriane Ilar will lead the Northern Mindanao’s quest for the Asean slots after ruling the 2023 National Age Group Chess Championships Eliminations held recently at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City.
The tallest female chesser in the region, Capilitan of Fr. William F. Masterson, SJ Elementary School emerged as champion in the Under-12 girls bracket. While the diminutive Tan of Jasaan Elementary School and the towering Ilar of El Salvador City reigned supreme in the Under-10 girls and Under-14 boys rivalries, respectively.
“Like in the National Batang Pinoy Meet last December in Vigan City, we’re also the most bemedalled team after the smoke of battle cleared in Tagaytay City,” Cagayan de Oro coach Jashper Gonzales told Gold Star Daily.
So dominant was Cagayan de Oro’s performance in the Under-12 girls bracket that Capilitan and Cagayan de Oro compatriot Ashley Aya Nicole Paquinol actually finished in a tie for first place at six points each. But Capilitan got the better in the Bucholz tiebreaker to claim the gold as Paquinol settled for silver.
Although she hails from Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, the Under-10 girls champion Tan represented the City of Gold in last week’s Tagaytay event dubbed as “Vice Governor Athena Bryana D. Tolentino National Age Group Chess Championships Eliminations.”
“Finally, na vindicated ra gyod si Ilar. We always look at him among the strongest age group campaigners pero permi ra gyod ma-second sa atong mga tournaments in the locality. Dakong kalipay sa iyang coach (Engr. Resurrecion ‘Jun’ Gunayan) nga nag Tagaytay champion si Ilar,” said Lorenzo Cuizon, the Provincial Capitol’s resident chess arbiter.
Joining Tan, Capilitan, and Paquinol among the top eight qualifiers from Cagayan de Oro to the National Championships set to be held in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte on April 2-10 are silver winner Ruelle Canino (16U boys/seeded for 16U Girls), fifth-placer Sebastian Marbas ( Under-12 boys), and seventh-finisher Lila Alyssa Serina (Under-14 girls).
Also qualifying from Misamis Oriental, aside from Ilar, are silver medalist Sara Dalagan (Under-14 girls), fourth-running Rena Deloso Dalagan (Under-10 girls), fifth-placer Kyla Deloso Dalagan (Under- 16 girls), and sixth-finisher Arena Fide Master (AFM) Janin Dhrey Querequere (Under-12 girls).
“We’re very thankful to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy for supporting our talented kids’ participation in Tagaytay chess eliminations,” said city sports director Romarey Gorro.
The National Chess Federation of the Philippines said the winners in Dipolog will represent the country in the 2023 Asean Chess Championships to be slated in Bangkok, Thailand on June 17-27.
