■ Ofelia C. Empian
Baguio City Dancesport team members Seth Matthew Bambalan and Maezyl Jesa Fernando ranked number one in the juvenile Latin couple discipline during the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) Cebu Open Dance Sport Competition and 3rd Quarter Ranking Competition in Cebu City on Sept. 29 to 30.
The young athletes bagged the gold in the juvenile A Latin out of 30 competitors in the country, one silver medal in the juvenile 2A standard, bronze medal in the juvenile 2A Latin, and placed fifth in the juvenile A standard discipline.
In the duo events, Bambalan partnered with James Patrick Altre in the duo juvenile C elite to add another bronze medal for Baguio City. Bambalan also captured the gold medal in the solo juvenile chachacha elite during the event slated at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City.
Fernando added two silver medals for the city’s win via the solo Latin jive elite and solo Latin chachacha elite, and bagged a bronze medal in the solo juvenile C elite.
Suzette Angel Lou Collantes contributed a silver medal in the solo junior tango and a bronze medal in the solo junior rumba and nearly made it to the medal podium but settled for fourth in the solo junior chachacha. Charvie Pobletin emerged with a bronze medal in the solo junior C Latin and fourth place in the solo junior chachacha Latin.
Other finalists from the Baguio team in the various solo events are Saphierre Angel Lique Dato-on, Fatima Claire de Guzman, Czaifah Michaellah Cosape, Adriana Lorraine Gomez, and Melchizedek Hananim Pinos-an.
The Baguio Dancesport Team, headed by Coach Terrence Joeffrey Soriano and Assistant Coach Denniel Carl Frias, brought home a total of two gold, four silver, and five bronze medals during the competition.
The Benguet Dancesport team bagged two gold, five silver, and two bronze medals during the annual competition participated by different athletes from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and from other countries in Southeast Asia, Italy, Germany, Russia, Australia, China, and Japan. – Ofelia C. Empian
