Castilo bags women’s singles title in PBaRs

GELITA Castilo finally ended her search for the women’s Open singles title after trouncing Bianca Carlos, 21-7, 21-14, in the finals of the MVP Sports Foundation-Bingo Bonanza Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) circuit at the Wheels ‘N More badminton courts in Davao yesterday.

The top seeded Castilo, who bowed to Carlos in the Manila leg final and yielded the Bacolod leg title to Malvinne Alcala last month, turned in a solid all-around performance to outplay Carlos in just 33 minutes.

The top Golden Shuttle Foundation bet took home P70,000 in the P1 million event which served as the third leg of the four-leg nationwide circuit. Carlos, also a GSF stalwart, received P35,000 while joint third placers Bianca Legaspi and Fatima Cruz got P10,500 each.

Antonino Gadi, another GSF mainstay, retained his men’s Open singles title, battling back from a first-set loss to turn back Paul Vivas, 19-21, 21-12, 21-14 and pocket the P70,000 purse.

Despite her loss in the Open, Carlos stamped her class in Under-19 class, beating Janelle De Vera, 21-16, 21-15 to claim her third straight crown.

Wilbert Natividad captured his PBaRS crown beating Rabie Jason Oba-ob, 21-10, 21-13 in the final of the boys U-19 category.

Top-ranked Markie Alcala, meanwhile, held off second seed Alvin Morada in a tough three-set duel, 21-16, 20-22, 21-14 to bag his third straight title in the boys U-15 division.

Whackers’ Joella de Vera, winner of the Manila leg, reclaimed the girls U-15 crown with a 21-18, 21-12 victory over Amabal Sumabat.  /Correspondent Jonas Panerio