THE Philippine Badminton Association-Smash Pilipinas team grabbed the 2015 Sudirman Cup Badminton World Group 4 title recently after defeating all foreign rivals in its bracket at the Dongfeng Nissan Sports Center in Dongguan, China.
the 2015 Sudirman Cup Badminton World Team Event in Dongguan,
China are shown here. They are (front row, from left) Airah Mae Nicole
Albo, Anna Patricia Barredo, (second row) Sarah Joy Barredo, Thea
Marie Pomar, Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo and Eleanor Christine Inlayo,
(back) Paul Jefferson Vivas, Coach Paulus Firman, Ros Leenard
Pedrosa, Frell Keeyann gabuelo, Ronel Estanislao, Philip Joper
Escueta, Coach Arolas Amahit Jr. and Peter Gabriel Magnaye.
The PBA-Smash Pilipinas, under the tutelage of Indonesian coach Paulus Firman and Arolas Amahit Jr., blasted Iceland, 4-1, and swept Nigeria, 5-0, in the preliminary round, before whipping Sri Lanka in the finals, 3-0, to bag the crown.
“This victory serves as a great exposure to the Philippine team,” said Firman, hoping the Philippine team would be promoted to the Group 3 division in the next Sudirman Cup in 2017 depending on the players’ rankings in the next two years. “This is a great accomplishment so far.”
The team was composed of Ros Leenard Pedrosa (men’s singles, senior player), Frell Keeyann Pedrosa (junior player), Sarah Joy Barredo (junior player, women’s singles) and Airah Mae Nicole Albo (junior women’s singles player).
The doubles players were Eleanor Christine Inlayo and Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo, Anna Patricia Barredo and Thea Marie Pomar (women’s doubles), Paul Jefferson Vivas and Peter Gabriel Magnaye, Philip Joper Escueta and Ronel Estanislao.
Vivas and Inlayo and Estanislao and Pomar played in the mixed doubles event.
The team was supported by Victor Philippines.
China clinched its 10th title in the Group 1 division after beating Japan, 3-0.