TEAM Tagaytay won six out of 10 gold medals to bag the overall title in the first Mayor Freddie Tinga-Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA)-National Youth Development Program (NYDP) invitational shooting championship on Saturday at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) range in Fort Bonifacio.

Twelve-year-old Kalvin Sumagui kicked off Tagaytay’s impressive campaign by firing 352 points to cop the air-pistol bench-rest gold. He beat Jebert Palma of San Pablo City’s Grace and Truth School by eight points and 13-year-old Alyanna Chuatuco by 10.

ALYANNA CHUATOCO,12, takes aim during the air-pistol competitions. --NONIE REYES

The other Tagaytay gold medalists were 17-year-old Simon Gonzalcs, who tallied 368.7,  in air-pistol men’s category; Shanin Gonzales, 364.1, in air-pistol women’s category; the team of Mark Edward Amon, Simon Gonzales and Bliymar Egido in air pistol standing category; the team of Joshua Sumagui, Kalvin Sumagui and Angel Cabrera in air-pistol bench rest; and the team of Edward Malapajo Jr., Egie Malapajo and Kalvin Sumagui in air-rifle men’s team.

Other gold winners in the one-day shootfest, sponsored by Taguig City and supported by Spring Cooking Oil and Thermax, were Pasay City’s Jayson Valdez, air-rifle bench rest men’s category; Dianne Nicole Bufemio, air-rifle women’s event; Makati City’s Henry Licub, 370.9, in air-rifle men’s category; and Taguig City’s Ehgee Calura, Camille Adnano and Anabelle Cuenco, air-rifle women’s category.

“The future looks bright for shooting. We need to build on this event to further develop the kids’ talents. With more training and exposure, I hope to see the winners making it to the national pool soon,” said reigning pistol champion and NYDP chairman Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla.

PNSA president Art Macapagal tapped Padilla for the job in his desire to discover and develop a new crop of future champions.

Padilla’s daughter Mica finished second in women’s air pistol with 317.9, way ahead of third-placer Noemi Rosales of Taguig (302.7).

University of Santo Tomas’s Jason Palma, son of NYDP vice chairman for operations and marketing Tito Palma, shot 370.6 and finished only .3 point behind gold medalist Licub in men’s air rifle.

In men’s air pistol, Mark Wesley Ang carded 319.7 and Taguig City’s Japet Nisperos had 312.7 to rank second and third, respectively, behind Simon Gonzales.

PSC commissioner Jose Mundo, Palma, vice chairman for administration Robbie Hermoso and also Taguig City’s OIC for Youth and Sports Development also graced the tourney.

Shooters enrolled in the NYDP program resume their training on April 19, with another competition set next month.

Interested parties may join the first PNSA-NYDP summer camp by calling 994-2621 for registration and more details.

‘Craziest thing’

AUGUSTA, Georgia—As Trevor Immelman walked up the 18th fairway early Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club, he carried no other burden than the one plainly in front of him, the one you could see. Just steer one last putt into the hole and win the Masters.

Que leads Asian stint in Volvo tiff

NEWLY crowned Philippine Open champion Angelo Que heads the Asian challenge in the Volvo China Open slated from April 17 to 20 at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club in Beijing, China.

FINALLY, the long-rumored trade involving longtime Red Bull player Junthy Valenzuela has been consummated Monday.

A LANDMARK face-to-face meeting between National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner David Stern and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios two weeks ago resulted in an across-the-globe agreement to pursue common projects that will initially cover areas in education and outreach projects, technical (officiating) management and marketing.

HARBOUR CENTRE has yet to drop a game in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup after nine matches.

TEAM Tagaytay won six out of 10 gold medals to bag the overall title in the first Mayor Freddie Tinga-Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA)-National Youth Development Program (NYDP) invitational shooting championship on Saturday at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) range in Fort Bonifacio.

MANY racing aficionados were really surprised with the outcome of the 2008 Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Diamond II on Sunday, which served as the second leg of the Imported/Local Challenge Race at the Santa Ana Park.