KUWAIT CITY, July 28: Richard Amoto and Nestor Farinas once again proved that when they join hands on the courts they become an unbeatable pair when they walked away with the title of the senior-most category in the Filipino Badminton Club in Kuwait (FILBACK) 6th Vivo Vidal Supreme Council Cup APO KAA-153 at the Kazma Handball Gym, Adailiya, recently.
While Amoto and Farinas took the crown in Men’s A, Denies Fermo and Paul Lozano prevailed in Men’s B, Joshua Monungolh and James Aguinaldo were the best in Mixed C Higher, Gigi Imperalde and Ayi Buenaventura took the title in Mixed B, Sande Panade and Kristine Marie Bernaldez emerged as champions in Mixed Lower C and Francis Rovero and Cherry Aurelio walked away with the crown in Mixed D.
The day’s event started with the completion of some of the matches of the Elimination Round to determine the permanent pairings for the knock-out stage of the tournament. Each Category had a higher and lower class with the top players in each class being paired together, the second placers of one class joining hands with the second placers and so on.
The top and second pairing in each category were awarded a direct entry to the semifinals and the next two pairs earned a berth in the quarterfinals. Players in the next few positions moved to the knockout round with the winners earning a place in the quarterfinals.
With some of the players off on holidays,the organizers accepted substitutes in their place.These players were called jokers and had to be of the same or a lower level than the ones they were replacing.
This event would not have been possible without the efforts of FILBACK Founding Chairman Caloy Abesamis along with FILBACK Director Leo Regner, FILBACK Tournament Director Ed Buensuceso, Training Director Renato Calanog, Alpha Phi Omega Kuwait Alumni Association (APO KAA-153) and all the office bearers who put in a determined effort to consistently deliver non-stop competition for the members of both the organizations.

Men’s A
The tandem of Richard Amoto and Nestor Farinas showed that they blend well on the courts when they walked home with championship crown but they had to press on the accelerator in the last two sets to edge the good pair of Rowx Bugas and Donald Briones 17-21, 21-18, 21-14 with the losers finishing in the 1st runners-up spot.
Bugas and Briones were at their best when they took the first set without too much effort and it seemed they would emerge as champions but Amoto and Farinas had other ideas and were not willing to give up so easily.
The second set was evenly fought as Amoto and Farinas put in their best to level the match before routing their opponents in the third set to clinch the championship.
Ed Buensuceso and Elmer Domingo claimed the 2nd runners-up position when they wasted no effort to beat Roy Satorre and Mohammad Rafik in two easy sets 21-10, 21-16.
Earlier in the semifinals, Richard Amoto and Nestor Frainas were made to sweat for every point before they could outlast Roy Satorre and Mohammad Rafiq in a close 3-set match 11-21, 21-17, 21-20 while Rowx Bugas and Donald Briones overcame Ed Buensuceso and Elmer Domingo 21-20, 21-17.
The quarterfinals saw Roy Satorre and Mohammad Rafik appear to be in a hurry when they overwhelmed Harinath Gadikota and Rodel Apepe 21-16, 21-17 while Ed Buensuceso and Elmer Domingo moved on to the next level when they outlasted Jess Sibunga and Nato Calanog in a seesaw battle 21-12, 10-21, 21-10.
The knockout matches game witnessed Harinath Gadikota and Rodel Apepe win twice when they edged the ever loyal FILBACK member Nestor Matondo and Louie Manabat 21-19, 14-21, 21-9 before they brushed aside Bernard Nunez and Anno Borbe 17-21, 21-20, 21-17 while the tandem of Jess Sibunga and Nato Calanog beat Leo Regner and Marian Salunga 21-11, 15-21, 21-13.

Men’s B
In Men’s B event, Denies Fermo and Paul Lozano proved that they were the best pair in this category when they bagged the title in two sets when they overcame Jonie Gratil and Noel Zagada 21-20, 21-11.
The first set was very closely fought and could have gone either way with Gratil and Zagada putting so much to take their opponents to a tie-breaker before giving up.In the second set Fermo and Lozano did not allow their rivals to settle down and gave away only 11 points to claim the set, match and with it the crown.
Samah Ahmed Al Saad and Erikson Venturina achieved the 2nd runners-up spot when they tamed Joel Aguirre and Gomer Imperial 21-14, 21-13 in a match which seemed totally one-sided.
The semifinals games saw Jonie Gratil and Noel Zagada edge Joel Aguirre and Gomer Imperial 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 while Denies Fermo and Paul Lozano defeated Samah Ahmed Al Saad and Erikson Venturina in a close 3- set match 17-21, 21-19, 21-20.
In the quarter finals, Joel Aguirre and Gomer Imperial overcame Joy Villanueva and Cesar Isidro 21-20, 21-13 while Denies Fermo and Paul Lozano wasted no effort to thrash Arnold Abordo and Arnel Miguel 21-6, 21-9.
Earlier in the knock out games, Rene Anglita and joker outlasted Leandro de Jesus and Nick Niegas 18-21, 21-16, 21-16 while Arnold Abordo and Arnel Miguel edged Billy Ramos and Syed Azhar 14-21, 21-18, 21-18, Joy Villanueva and Cesar Isidro won by default against Jame Briones and Kiesha Stecky, Joel Aguirre and Gomer Imperial beat Joy Villanueva and Cesar Isidro 13-21, 21-20, 21-13 and the tandem of Arnold Abordo and Arnel Miguel outclassed Rene Anglita and joker 14-21, 21-13, 21-19.

Mixed C Higher
The Mixed C Higher category saw Joshua Monungolh and James Aguinaldo acquire the highest honor when they overcame Glenn Pillotas and Sunny Rae Lascuna 21-16, 21-20 in the finals in a game which was very closely fought.
The first saw Monungolh and Aguinaldo not facing too much resistance as they gave away only 16 points but the second set was a cliff-hanger, going into a tie-breaker before the ultimate champions prevailed and took the title.
Romeo Longalong and Gboy Briones bagged 2nd runners-up position when they tamed Maher Abdulwahab and Andrei Varilla 21-14, 21-20.
In the semifinals, Glenn Pillotas and Sunny Rae Lascuna hammered Romeo Longalong and Gboy Briones 21-11, 21-9 while Joshua Monungolh and James Aguinaldo thumped Maher Abdulwahab and Andrei Varilla 21-14, 21-19.
The quarterfinals witnessed Glenn Pillotas and Sunny Rae Lascuna edge Butch Bagahansol and joker 20-21, 21-20, 21-15 while Maher Abdulwahab and Andrei Varilla overpowered Romeo Tribunalo 21-16, 21-11.
The knock out matches saw Butch Bagahansol and joker win by default against Ejay de Leon and Jassem Urrea while Beth Buensuceso and Albert Naguit outlasted Danny Quindoza and George Burgos 13-21, 21-19, 21-20, Romeo Tribunalo and Chato Guillermo crushed Joel dela Cruz and Bea Garcia in back to back sets 21-17, 21-17, Butch Bagahansol and joker overcame Dominador Gonzales and Jovie Vidal 21-20, 21-18 and the tandem of Romeo Tribunalo and Chato Guillermo overwhelmed Beth Buensuceso and Albert Naguit 21-13, 21-11.

Mixed B
In the Mixed B event, Gigi Imperalde and Ayi Buenaventura collected the title but they had to fight for every single point before they outlasted Reem Suzain and Cedric Isidro 16-21, 21-17, 21-14.
After losing the first set, Imperalde and Ayi Buenaventura seemed to be in a different class altogether as they put the pressure on the rivals and never allowed them to settle down.They gave away 17 points in the second set and only 14 in the third to capture the crown.
Mary Grace Calungsod and Maricris Malilay pressed on the accelerator in the last two sets to walk home with 2nd runners-up position when they edged Faye de Guzman and Maridel Estinozo 19-21, 21-14, 21-19.
The semi finals saw Reem Suzain (substituted by a joker) with Cedric Isidro waste no effort to beat Faye de Guzman and Maridel Estinoso 21-15, 21-14 while Gigi Imperalde and Ayi Buenaventura blended well on the courts to overwhelm Mary Grace Calungsod and Maricris Malilay 21-16, 21-15.
The quarterfinals witnessed Faye de Guzman and Maridel Estinoso brush aside Amor Llanes and Kayrul 21-12, 21-13 while Mary Grace Calungsod and Maricris Malilay outlasted Biberly Malvar and Rosalie Galvez 11-21, 21-14, 21-15.
In the knock out games, Anna de Guino and William Recondo (replaced by a joker) hammered Cathy Manzano and Val Canicosa 21-19, 21-15 while Biberly Malvar and Rosalie Galvez edged Anna de Guino and William Recondo (replaced by a joker) 21-20, 20-21, 21-10 and Faye de Guzman with Maridel Estinoso outlasted Lyn Roca and Lourdes Orbase 21-9, 13-21, 21-13.

Mixed Lower C
The tandem of Sande Panade and Kristine Marie Bernaldez overpowered Ryan Coronado and Mary Grace Quizon 21-17, 21-5 in a one-sided match after meeting some resistance in the first set to claim the title.
Mark Delen and Jessa Piol claimed the 2nd runners-up spot when they thumped Elibeth Mendoza and Princess Joy Cabanesas 21-16, 21-20.
In the semifinals, Ryan Coronado and Mary Grace Quizon tamed Mark Delen and Jessa Piol 21-16, 21-15 while Sande Panade and Kristine Marie Bernaldez overwhelmed Elibeth Mendoza and Princess Joy Cabanesas 21-16, 21-18.
The quarterfinal games witnessed Mark Delen and Jessa Piol outclassed Joey Maravillas and Jeves Cruz 21-17, 21-15 while Elibeth Mendoza and Princess Joy Cabanesas edged Ronilo Fuentes and Nineth Regner in a seesaw battle 21-15, 18-21, 21-19.
Earlier in the knock out matches, Sherwin Perez and Shelou Delen tamed May Comilang and Belinda Rubio 21-20, 21-20 while Joey Maravillas and Jeves Cruz outlasted Marilyn Miguel and Leonor Laurito 21-16, 18-21, 21-11 and the pair of Elibeth Mendoza and Princess Joy Cabanesas brushed aside Shelou Delen and Sherwin Perez 21-11, 21-13.

Mixed D
In the Mixed D event, Francis Rovero and Cherry Aurelio walked home with the crown when they pressed on the accelerator in the last two sets to edge the good pair of Joel Gonzaga and Aurora Pacheco 13-21, 21-11, 21-14.
The champions were squarely thrashed in the first set as they could only take 13 points off their opponents and it seemed that they would be hammered into oblivion, resulting in a short and sweet victory for their rivals.But that was not to be for their opponents ran into a nightmare as they could take only 11 points in the second set and 14 in the third as Rovero and Aurelio clinched the title.
Meanwhile, Rhommel Torres and Restine Lumino outclassed Carlos Porlares and Vhennie Ilejay for 2nd runner up, the game completed in easy two sets 21-14, 21-11.
The semi finals witnessed Joel Gonzaga and Aurora Pacheco hammer Carlos Porlares and Vhennie Ilejay 21-15, 21-12 while Francis Rovero and Cherry Aurelio overcame Rhommel Torres and Restine Rose Lumino 21-17, 21-14.
In the quarterfinals, Carlos Porlares and Vhennie Ilejay outlasted Raffy Ilejay and Grace Ann Daraug 18-21, 21-17, 21-15 while Rhommel Torres and Restine Rose Lumino tamed Allan Fabunan and Ivette Valenton 21-20, 21-18.
Earlier in the knock out games, Rhommel Torres and Restine Rose Lumino won by default against Joseph Ghally and Magz Lopez while Raffy Ilejay and Grace Ann Daraug won by default against Ferdinand Caviberde and Pamela Carpio.

Results
Men’s A
Champions Richard Amoto and Nestor Farinas
Runners-up Rowx Bugas and Donald Briones
Men’s B
Champions Denies Fermo and Paul Lozano
Runners-up Jonie Gratil and Noel Zagada
Mixed C Higher
Champions Joshua Monungolh and James Aguinaldo
Runners-up Glenn Pillotas and Sunny Rae Lascuna
Mixed B
Champions Gigi Imperalde and Ayi Buenaventura
Runners-up Reem Suzain and Cedric Isidro
Mixed Lower C
Champions Sande Panade and Kristine Marie Bernaldez
Runners-up Ryan Coronado and Mary Grace Quizon
Mixed D
Champions Francis Rovero and Cherry Aurelio
Runners-up Joel Gonzaga and Aurora Pacheco
FILBACK organizers would like to thank Khaled Abden-- IT Manager of Eureka Trading Co WLL, Greg Blanco and Russel Skoyles of AMEC Oil and Gas Company, Vhennie Ilejay from United Interactive General Trading (UIGT), Rod Robles Director – Century Property, Subway Eat Fresh and Vangie Gernale of Western Union Money Transfer.