KUWAIT CITY, Sept 1: The Filipino Badminton Club in Kuwait (FILBACK) continued with the 2nd part of the “Hatawan sa Garden”, Fun Badminton Games at the Al Salam Garden Thursday evening.
In the previous week, the games had been played on Friday evening but this week the FILBACK organisers had planned two days of matches but the near 100 percent humidity Friday evening forced the organizers to cancel the event.
The event is being organized by FILBACK Founding Chairman Caloy Abesamis and FILBACK Tournament Director Renato Calanog with the support of their dedicated office bearers. The event is being held in the Al Salam Garden, in Shuwaikh, due to the unavailability of the Handball Gym in Kazma Sports Complex in Adailiya for the holy month Ramadan.

But with the players keen not to miss another whole month of badminton, after being out of action for the months of May and June again due to the non-availability of the playing venue, the organizers decided to use the new venue for a limited number of matches each week during the month of Ramadan so that the players not only get to play their favorite sport but can have picnics at the same time.
Meanwhile, the FILBACK Technical Committee decided to re-schedule the games of the elimination round which were not played last week to this Thursday and Friday evening if the weather goes in their favor. However, for any updates FILBACK Facebook account is available for viewing. The organizers remind the players that if they are still not a member, just click “Like”.

Men’s Doubles
Nestor Matondo and Marianne Salunga topped this week’s Men’s Doubles event when they showed some real class to compile 2 victories together. Nestor and Marianne, starting off well, wasted no time to thrash Leandro de Jesus and Nick Niegas 21-12 21-11while they pressed on the accelerator in the last 2 sets to edge Renato Calanog and Rey Lubaton 18-21, 21-17, 21-14.
In the first match Nestor and Marianne were hardly stretches nor were they able to sweat in spite of the hot and humid weather as their opponents — Leandro and Nick — hardly put up a fight. Nestor and Marianne gave away only 12 points in the first set but were a little more miser in the second, giving away only 11 points to take the set and the match.
On the other hand, Rey Lubaton and Renato Calanog overpowered Richard Amoto and George Burgos 21-13, 21-15, while Jett Adlawan and Mohammad Rafik hammered Rey Quedeng and Asser Mohammad 21-12, 21-17, Junnie Gratil and Mark Arroyo blended well on the courts and overwhelmed Jess Sibunga and Billy Ramos 21-19, 21-14, Caloy Abesamis and Richard Amoto also blended well on the courts to outlast Jett Adlawan and Mohammad Rafik in a seesaw battle 21-16, 18-21, 21-15, and Jess Sibunga and Nick Niegas were made to sweat for every point before they could edge Allan Sayoto and Jett Adlawan in 3 extended sets 16-21, 21-7, 23-21.

In the above group, the most exciting match was Abesamis and Amoto taking on Adlawan and Rafik .Abesamis and Amoto won the first set easily, conceding only 16 points and seemed to be well on course to finish the match in two sets but they were surprises by the tough fight put up in the next set.
Adlawan and Rafik really fought hard in the very humid conditions and were involved in long rallies with their opponents before they took the set and forced the match into a third deciding set.
Abesamis and Amoto were, however, not to be denied victory as the humid conditions and the tough second set seemed to have taken a toll on their opponents who went down tamely to surrender the match after taking only 15 points.

Standings
Rank Men’s Initial Standings Cat W L Total Games
1 Mariane Salunga H 2 0 2
Rank Men’s Initial Standings Cat W L Total Games
2 Nestor Motondo H 2 0 2
Rank Men’s Initial Standings Cat W L Total Games
3 Mohd Rafik H 1 1 2
4 Rey Lubaton H 1 1 2
5 Richard Amoto H 1 1 2
6 Renato Niegas H 1 1 2
7 Renato Calanog H 1 1 2
8 Mohd Rafik H 1 1 2
9 Junnie Gratil H 1 0 1
10 Caloy Abesamis H 1 0 1
11 George Burgos H 0 1 1
12 Leandro DeJesus H 0 1 1
13 Allan Sayoto H 0 1 1
14 Jett Adlawan H 1 2 3

Ladies
In Ladies Higher class Abby Sayoto was in the driver’s seat when she pulled two wins, the first in partnership with Ayie Buenaventura. Both of them started off by overpowering Val Canicosa and Jeves Cruz 21-15, 21-14 before Abby joined Val Canicosa and wasted no time to beat Jhun Banzon and Jeves Cruz 21-17, 21-11.
In the other matches, Mary Grace Calungsod and Chato Guillermo hammered Abby Sayoto and Jeves Cruz 21-10, 21-15, while Lyn Pascua and Lourdes Orbase outlasted Mary Grace Calungsod and Chato Guillermo in a seesaw battle 21-16, 14-21, 21-17.

Initial Standings
Rank Ladies Higher Cat W L Total Points
Rank Ladies Higher Cat W L Total Points
1 Abby Sayoto H 2 1 3
2 Mary Grace Calungsod H 1 1 2
3 Chato Guillermo H 1 1 2
4 Ayie Buenaventura H 1 1 2
5 Lourdes Orbase H 1 0 1
6 Lynn Pasua H 1 0 1
7 Jeves Cruz H 0 2 2

There were three matches in Ladies Lower category with Jenna Rafael and Geraldine Maghirang working hand in hand to top the class after winning their two games when they first outlasted Vanessa Hinolan and Elibeth Mendoza 17-21, 21-17, 21-18 before overcoming Maureen Salumbre and Maricel Ilagan.
Jenna and Geraldine now lead the ladies event after having won both their matches although their match against Vanessa and Elibeth was not easily won.
Jenna and Geraldine started off on the wrong foot by losing the first set by taking only 17 points off their opponents but in the next set they leveled their opponents as they this time gave away only 17 points to push the match into a third deciding set. The third set was evenly fought before Jenna and Geraldine won to take the match.
Meanwhile, Maureen Salumbre and Maricel Ilagan did not go home empty handed when they fought wisely to edge Vanessa Hinolan and Elibeth Mendoza in 3 extended sets 8-21, 21-18, 22-20.
Maureen and Maricel went down tamely in the first set as they were able to take only 8 points but they fought back in the next two sets as they stretched their rivals to the limit in an effort to tire them out.The strategy succeeded as they second set was won 21-18 .The third set was a cliff-hanger as neither pair gave anything away and the game went into an extension before Maureen and Maricel prevailed.

Initial Standings
Rank Ladies Lower Cat W L Total Points
1 Jenna Rafael L 2 0 2
2 Geraldine Maghirang L 2 0 2
3 Maureen Salumbre L 1 1 2
4 Maricel Ilagan L 1 1 2
5 Jun Banzon L 1 1 2
6 Val Canicosa L 1 1 2
7 Vanesa Hinolan L 0 2 2
8 Elibeth Mendoza L 0 2 2