Canino tops National Age Group tilt U18 open division

TEENAGE CHESS SENSATION Ruelle Canino is doing it all.

After accomplishing several feats last year, the 16-year-old Ms. Canino continued to break barriers as she ruled the premier standard Under-18 open division of the National Age Group Championships at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas over the weekend.

Ms. Canino, the lone female entry in the category, scored an impressive seven points out of the possible eight in topping the event ahead of a strong field headed by top seed FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, who wound up second, a full point behind with six points.

It was another head-turning performance for the Far Eastern University standout and UAAP juniors MVP after copping the national women’s title over older, battle-scarred foes and went on beating three Woman Grandmasters in helping the country snare a historic Group II gold medal in last year’s Budapest Olympiad.

Ms. Canino later said she was determined to win this one after finishing at 68th out of 98 participants with five points out of the possible 11 in the World Juniors in Montenegro early this month.

“I promised to come back stronger after the World Juniors,” said the soft-spoken Cagayan de Oro lass.

Ms. Canino was eyeing to replicate her recent feat as she was competing in the rapid and blitz sections of this four-day event sponsored by CoinEx and backed by host Mayor Ben Patron and Congressman Mark Lester Patron, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP on Sunday.

Other standard category victors were April Joy Claros (girls U18), Kaye Lalaine Regidor (girls U16), Mark Gabriel Usman (open U16), Soffia Joy Mamangun (girls U14), Christian Tolosa (open U14), Khana Kathrine Ventolero (girls U12), Steve Zacky Bolico (open U12), Faith Louise Dorupa (girls U10), and Danry Seth Romualdez (open U10). — Joey Villar