Nine-year-old jin dreams of playing in Olympics

CPJ Championship gold medalist Jonah Covarubias displays fine form on Thursday's DSA Forum at the Ateneo de Davao University.DAVAO SPORTSWRITERS ASSN.


Nine-year-old Jonah Covarubias dreams of playing in the Olympics.

And he will continue to pursue that dream by continually honing his skills at the JT Taekwondo Center and regularly competing in various tournaments.

Covarubias said he practiced hard that made him a gold medalist in the CPJ Championships recently in Manila and he will continue to practice and reap honors.

His next assignment is the upcoming 71^st Araw ng Dabaw Taekwondo Tournament next month.

Covarubias attended Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Ateneo de Davao University where he presented his medal along with his parents.

Aside from enjoying the sport, the multi-titled Covarubias has made a mark in Davao taekwondo by becoming the first junior player to win a gold medal in the CPJ Championships.

Japanese coaches are in Davao for a “transfer of technology”

Philanthropist Tatsuo Uchida explains some points on Thursday's DSA Forum at the Ateneo de Davao University. Beside him is Datu Uchida Development Foundation Sports Coordinator Yusuke Uchida.DAVAO SPORTSWRITERS ASSN.

The knowledge sharing starts on Saturday at the University of Mindanao Matina campus when Hidetoshi Suzuki and Atsushi Matsuzaki will teach Davao coaches on how to improve the game of their teams seeing action in the 3^rd Davao City Baseball Cup.

On Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Ateneo de Davao University, Suzuki said that they are in Davao to help in the transformation also of the youth through baseball.

He said that someday the youngsters they have helped will soon become better adults.

Public high and elementary schools are competing in the Baseball Cup initiated by the Datu Uchida Development Foundation chaired by Datu Bago awardee Tatsuo Uchida.

Uchida, a Davao born Japanese, said he considers Davao City as his hometown and so he is making contributions in the development of the city and its people.

The Datu Bago awardee was instrumental in the putting up of an orphanage center located at the back of the Davao Medical Center, establishment of a museum in Calinan and a lingap center in Tugbok, support to the Nikkei Jin Kai and music development for the youth.

Uchida said that a community can become better with the help from the different sectors and believes that the kids of today will play an important role in making Davao better when they become adults.

DSA Forum's special edition at Ateneo

he Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum will have a special edition on Thursday, February 21, 10:30 a.m.,at Room F513 of the Ateneo de Davao University in Jacinto.

Guests are Tatsuo Uchida of the Datu Uchida Development Foundation, renowned coach Hidetoshi Suzuki, baseball supporter Atsushi Matsuzaki who will be on hand to talk about the 3^rd Davao City Baseball Cup scheduled to start on February 23 at the University of Mindanao Matina campus.

Joining them are Jonah Cavarubias, gold medalist in the recent CPJ Taekwondo Championship, his parents and coach Junjun Te of Jose Te Taekwondo Center.

DSA President and Sports Editor Charles Maxey is requesting members to come on time.

Davao horse riders to compete in Cebu on Feb.16-17

"Brod" Pete Batu (with mike). (DSA Photo)

Davao horse riders are leaving for Cebu on Friday to compete in the two-day Cebu Horse Show and Competition on February 16 to 17.

Newly-elected Davao Horse Club President Pete Batu said that they will be fielding in their best riders with the hope of gaining honors for Davao City.

“Kung hindi tayo mag champion, eh di, runner-up lang,” said an optimistic Batu on Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn.

Batu said the Davao riders have been practicing for a month at the Matina Park Stable and he hopes that they can perform better this year.

The competition in Cebu sponsored by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia is the start of the annual horse competition organized by the Federation of Horse Clubs.

Andrew Tan, Kobe Tan, George Walter Misa are entered in the expert division while Martin Ledesma and Nikki Boy Gonzales are competing in the youth division.

All set for Samal Cycling Challenge

Araceli Ayuste (with microphone).(DSA Photo)

The system is ready for the Island Garden City of Samal Cycling Challenge on March 2 starting at the Kaputian Beach Park.

Araceli Ayuste, President of the Tourism Council, said that the 25-kilometer race starts at 8 a.m. and will hit the major roads of the city for the spectators to watch the competition.

Prizes are up for grabs in the event which is part of the founding anniversary of the island scheduled on March 1 to 7.

On Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn, Ayuste said that riders from the various parts of the Davao region are also joining the competition.

The week-long celebration will also have other sports events like an inter-barangay basketball, dancesport and cockfighting.

DSA Forum on Thursday

The new president of the Davao Horse Club, a Malaysia-bound triathlete and an official from the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Cycling Challenge are the guests of the weekly Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum, 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, February 14, at the Tower Inn.

Pete Batu, the newly-elected President of the Davao Horse Club, will talk about the activities of the Club for this year while Paulo Ouano will discuss his participation to a triathlon competition in Malaysia.

Joining them is Cecil Ayuste, Tourism Council Head of the Island Garden City of Samal for the Igacos Cycling event.

DSA President and Sunstar Davao Sports Editor Charles Maxey is enjoining members to attend the weekly public service sports program sponsored by Tower Inn and Genesis 88 Advertising.

Samal, Davao cycling races set

The Samahang Siklista Kooperatiba Dabaw is holding two events in March, according to organizer Salvador Paholio Jr. on Thursday's Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn.

He said that the Island Garden City of Samal Cycling Challenge is on March 2 while the Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Cycling Classics in on March 9.

The Igacos race will cover the Samal, Babak and Kaputian areas while the Duterte Classics starts in downtown Davao to Buda with the finish line in Barangay Calinan.

Paholio said that the races are part of their calendar of events for this year to give young riders another venue to hone their skills in preparation for bigger tournaments.

PSC Mindanao field office opens in Davao, MFG in Tubod

Philippine Sports Commission Executive Assistant Joseph Encabo said that their Mindanao field office will start its operations on Friday at No.35-A, Quimpo Boulevard, 200 meters away from SM City Davao.

The formal opening, he said, will be done when PSC Chairman William Ramirez comes home to Davao from Cuba.

On Thursday's Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn, Encabo said they have hired a competent staff to run the day to day operations of the field office.

Encabo said that the Mindanao Friendship Games will be back in Tubod, Lanao del Norte on November 29 to December 5.

Tubod first hosted the MFG in 2001.

The MFG is a brainchild of Ramirez, designed as a sports for peace program in Mindanao.

DSA photos on Jan.31 Forum at Tower Inn

Richy Melu of Holiday Gym and Spa talks about their 3-on-3 basketball tournament while Ivy Fernandez waits for her turn to speak.(DSA)










Datu Uchida Development Foundation Inc. Sports Coordinator Yusuke Uchida (with microphone) gives details of the 3rd Davao City Baseball Cup. Also shown are Joaquin Sarabia and Ines Mallari of the Davao City Baseball Association.(DSA)




Asean Para Games triple bronze medalist Billy Smith Cartera.(DSA)