Iloilo City (May 8) - Two-time National Youth Championships gold medallist Ramshane Sarguilla of North Cotabato hurdled his toughest assignment in the 2008 Youth Championships thus far outpointing Panabo City's Arnold Deano and positioning himself for a possible third gold in the amateur boxing competition for boys 17 years old and under.
North Cotabato head coach Dante "Bruce" Lerio told www.thepinoyboxers.com that the 14-year-old Sarguilla had his hands full against the tough Deano, member of the boxing team that has dominated the National Amateur Boxing Competitions in the last few stagings.
"They (Panabo Team) really prepared for him (Sarguilla)," said Lerio adding that the North Cotabato boxing ace has always proven to be a big headache for other boxing teams.
"But the boy (Sarguilla) is really good. He is a classy fighter," said North Cotabato Cong. Bernardo Pinol, Jr., one of the sponsors of the team, who was at ringside along with Iloilo Governor Neil Tupas.
Sarguilla, considered by experts as a future Olympic hopeful, has won the gold in the National Youth in 2005 when he was 11 and against in 2006 when he was 12. In the absence of the National Youth Championships in 2007, he won the Manny Pacquiao amateur boxing championships in Gen. Santos City last year.
But two other North Cotabato boys who fought alongside Sarguilla today for a chance to vie for the gold lost their bouts.
Benjie Artaba, the 5' 7" tall 17-year-old of Pres. Roxas town lost to Misamis Oriental's Joven Toring in a very close fight with a score of 25-24 while 12-year Roberto Cano was defeated by Wilbur Renteplecca of Palawan.
Artaba and Cano, however, added two more bronze medals to North Cotabato's medal harvest bringing to 4 the bronze medals won by the Braveheart Boys.
Those fighting for the gold medal in the final day of the competition are:
1.Federico Ame, 11, No Weight Division;
2.Ryan Daquipil, 12, powderweight division;
3.Lieme John Ovalo, 14, Jr. Mosquitoweight Division;
4. Ramshane Sarguilla, 14, Jr. Lightpaperweight Division;
5. Gilbert Gonzales, 15, Featherweight Division.
"Five of the 15 boys fighting for the gold is an excellent accomplishment," said Congressman Bernardo Pinol Jr., who along with Vice Governor Manny Pinol and the Provincial Government of North Cotabato has supported the amateur boxing program in the province.
North Cotabato actually sent 16 boys and two coaches to the Iloilo National Championships, all of them participating in the Youth Tournament but only 15 were able to fight as one of boys 15-year-old 5' 5" tall Arnel Gepullano was the sole entry in the Jr. Bantamweight division.
All of the boys who participated in the tournament are products North Cotabato's grassroots amateur boxing program which included the hiring of Cuban national coach Honorato Espinosa.
Espinosa who stayed in North Cotabato for over a year trained local coaches including Bruce Lerio and assistant coach Roland Brato.(www.thepinoyboxers.com)
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