Table Tennis Blogs: Double Win For NASHSPINNER At The 1st Jose Cojuangco Cup

Nashspinner Ryan Rodney A. Jacolo

with TATAP President Mr.Ting Ledesma

at the 1st Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Qualification Tournament

PHI — NASHSPINNER Ryan Rodney A. Jacolo has successfully bagged another double awards — CHAMPION in the Boys 17U Event and
SILVER MEDAL in the Men's Open Event — in the 1st Jose Cojuangco Table Tennis Qualification Tournament held last April 15-17, 2012 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Philippines.

Tournament Highlights
In the 17U event, the 14-year old NASH had to grind his way through the tough boys of LTTC (Mindoro) and Fil-Chi to get to the top.

He went through Catalan (UST) in the first day. On day 2, he eliminated FEU collegiate rising star Igno (LTTC), then barely squeezed past this year's NCR teammate R. Chua (Fil-Chi) in a cardiac finish.

On day 3, NASH erupted with a hard-fought victory over DLSU's
W. Ledesma in the quarterfinals, then defeated UST college draftee
K. Enriquez (LTTC) in the semis. In the final round, he squared off with another Fil-Chi stonewall D. Cua in a tightly-contested championship match. It was a nobody's game most of the way until the latter part of the deciding 5th set that NASH was able to break away and successfully repelled Cua's fastloop assaults to take the endgame and the gold.

View video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l49m5hRPgEc

Boys 17U Awarding Ceremony. L-R: Mr. Nemenzo,

Champion Ryan Rodney Jacolo (Nashspinner),

Daniel Cua (Fil-Chi), Kevin Enriquez (LTTC), Koby Cabrido,

and TATAP President Mr. Ting Ledesma.

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NASH's venture into the Men's Open event ended in a pleasant surprise when he also bagged the the Silver Medal after 3 days of competition. He scored an upset eliminating former UST standout

R. Rosales (Metta) in the R16, prevailed over PATTO's R. Manlapaz in the quarterfinals, then scored yet another one on Fil-Chi's D. Cua in the semis to earn the right to challenge the national player R. Valle (PNP) in the finals.

It was the first time ever for NASH to go up against a Philippine National Team player in an official match and it was indeed a herculean task ahead for the 14-year old high school sophomore.
Valle thundered through the first set and won it strongly with his viscious loops, then NASH regrouped and returned the favor with his own block and topspin counterattack routines and took the 2nd set just as decisively.

What followed then was a mid-distance counterspin battle between the lion and the cub who fought tooth and nail with fullswing attack combinations and, for one brief moment, even threatened to snatch away the crucial 3rd set and go for the lead, but the wily veteran, with some good breaks, was able to weather the onslaught and came out standing when the dust settled.

In the ensuing 4th set, the veteran Valle just proved too strong for the youngster and wrapped up the match to take the championship at 3-1.

view video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_LFwQitVs0

Men's Open Awarding Ceremony. L-R: PSC's Mr. Andanar,

Mr. Nemenzo, Ms. F. Andanar, Champion Rodel Valle (PNP),

Silver Medalist Ryan Rodney Jacolo (Nashspinner),

Walden Ledesma (DLSU), Daniel Cua (Fil-Chi),

and TATAP President Mr. Ting Ledesma.

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Summer Campaign
One of Team Nashspinner's dictums is to participate and, of course, try to win in all Metro Manila Table Tennis Big Leagues.

This competition has been the 4th in the series of the 5 summer big leagues culminating in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa where NASH will be playing for Team NCR.