The Benguet Dancesport Team has bagged one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in the Jamili’s Scholarship Cup 2021 held last June 12 and 13.
Jhosan Galvez and Mary Luz It-itanhave dominated the open duo female winning a gold medal during the online competition.
Galvez was also a semi-finalist in the grades C and B female Latin category while It-itan placed 7th in the grade B female Latin and sixth place in the grade C female Latin.
“Despite the situation the previous weeks, we were still able to pull a good fight,” said coach CharibellePingawan, referring to the group’s challenge in practicing while Benguet was under modified enhanced community quarantine.
The silver medal for the team was courtesy of Nena Roschan Escalera and Eiji Justine Balao in the youth duo female
Escalera also placed 7th in the youth D female and 9th in the youth C female while Balao placed quarter finalist in the junior C female, junior cha-cha-cha female and junior rumba female.
Erick Cabloy added another silver medal in the junior rumba male while placing 5th in the junior C male and semi-finalist in the junior cha-cha-cha male.
Cabloy partnered with Ashley Abance to capture the bronze medal in the junior duo male while Abance was quarter finalist in the junior C male and semi-finalists in the junior cha-cha-cha male and junior rumba male.
The other two bronze medals were courtesy of Betty Mae Agad in the grade C standard female and Jayson Ace Abenoja in the grade C standard male.
Zenobea Faith Olayan was quarter finalist in the junior C female, junior cha-cha-cha female and junior rumba female; Mark Gonzalo Benter was semi-finalist in the grade C male Latin and grade B male Latin; Jessica Marie Ogbinar was also a semi-finalist in the grade C female Latin and grade B female Latin while ShailaPilo was semi-finalist in the grade C female Latin.
The team trained in Baguio for two weeks when the province was declared under MECQ, but resumed training at the Quads gym on June 9 when they were issued a special permit by La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda.
Since the Jamilis is a scholarship cup, some of the athletes are entitled to a scholarship of workshop sessions from international and professional dancesport coaches, while the first, second, and third placers will receive the scholarship, Pingawan said.
The team is preparing for the Korea Open set on June 26 and 27. – Ofelia C. Empian
