Medals awarded to national championships winners

Winners in the U19 division of the inaugural NMI Badminton National Championships and Northern Marianas Badminton Association officials pose for a photo during the awards ceremony for the competition last weekend at the TSL Sports Complex. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The first place winners in the inaugural NMI Badminton National Championships were awarded with medals during a brief ceremony at the TSL Sports Complex last weekend.

Junior player Taka Borja and Pacific Games veteran Janelle Pangilinan led the awardees as they each received three medals. Borja ruled the U19 men’s singles and doubles (with Daniel Pablo) and also clinched the mixed doubles championship after teaming up with Khristelle Itaas. Pangilinan, on the other hand, got the first place medals in the women’s open singles and doubles (with Jen Savellano) and mixed doubles (with Nate Guerrero).

Besides Borja, Pangilinan, Guerrero, and Savellano, other players who received their first place medals in last Dec. 10’s awards ceremony were Joseph Torres (men’s open singles winner) and his doubles partner Jordan Pangilinan. Completing the champions circle was Sophia Quintos, who bagged the girls U19 singles title and also the U19 women’s doubles crown after joining forces with Itaas.

Merlie Tolentino, president of the Northern Marianas Badminton Association, which organized the tournament through the support of Badminton Oceania, presented the medals to the winners and were joined in the awards ceremony by NMBA general secretary Christy Villaflor and directors Janelle Pangilinan and Guerrero.

Tolentino thanked all the players that committed to the competition and for following the guidelines implemented at the TSL Sports Complex as safety precaution against the local COVID-19 cases. The NMBA president added that the association hopes to have a bigger competition next year once restrictions against gathering, like sports competitions, are eased. The first national championships drew 41 players with 23 of them signing up in the open division contest and 18 in the junior division.

“We would also like to acknowledge Badminton Oceania for helping the NMBA hold its first-ever national championships and for their continued support to our various programs,” Tolentino said.

The NMI Badminton National Championships 2021 was NMBA’s last competition for the season and the group is planning to host a few more events early next year as dry-runs for the islands’ hosting of the Pacific Mini Games 2022, which will be held from June 17 to 25. (PR)