CHECK out this video report from Reuters.

CHECK out this teaser video of the 2007 World Pool Championship that will be held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines from Nov. 3-11, 2007.

Video provided by Raya Sports, a partner of INQUIRER.net.

By Dennis U. Eroa
Inquirer

CHICAGO, Illinois–Joan Tipon’s Olympic dream will have to wait for now.

The reigning Asian Games bantamweight champion started cold and lost to archrival Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand, 13-5, at the start of the International Amateur Boxing Association World Boxing Championships here Tuesday.

The foxy Thai, who lost to the Filipino in the 2006 Doha Asiad finals, was in complete command after taking a 3-0 lead at the end of a boring, action-less first round as Tipon boxed without his usual flair and confidence.

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By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippines bagged 12 gold medals, including four in the senior division, in the recent 8th ASEAN Taekwondo Federation Championships held in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Bantamweights Jeffrey Figueroa and Esther Marie Singson, lightweight Brix Darmo Ramos and welterweight Ernesto Juan Mendoza III led the winners in the two-day tournament.

The Smart/Petron team also won 9 silvers and 17 bronzes.

James Martin Luzuriaga and Christine Rose Virtudazon won the junior poomse silver and bronze medals, respectively, and then combined to take the bronze in pair poomse.

The other gold medalists:

Juniors — Sydney Darryl Crispino, fin; Jyra Marie Lizardo, fly; James Martin Luzuriaga, fly; Karla Jane Alava, feather; Gerry del Rosario, welter; Dennis Resaba, light middle; Kirstie Elaine Alora, middle; and Christine Rose Virtudazo, light heavy.

The silver medalists:

Seniors — Billy Joel Corral, fin; Carlos V, fly; Manuel Rivero Jr., light; Marlon Avenido, welter; Igon Ducay, middle; and Ma. Criselda Roxas, middle.

Juniors — Gyie Michael Genoso, bantam; Mark Reynald Dizon, light; and Ronald Golding Jr., welter.

The bronze winners:

Seniors — Gerrielyn Aranzanso, fin; Loraine Lorelie Catalan, fly; Emmanuel Alivio, bantam; Veronica Domingo, welter; Katherine Ann Bunyi, heavy; and Michael Alejandrino, heavy.

Juniors — Kirn Aldrin Ammay, fly; R-jay del Rosario, bantam; Mira Taculog, bantam; Kathleen Estrabo, bantam; Marigold Taculog, feather; Nicole Mapilisan, feather; Allen Roy Unson, light; Mary Joannina Langit, welter; Marifi Violeta Gadit, welter; Alexander Alivio, light middle; and Emron Mae Golding, light middle.

By Tim Collings
Agence France-Presse

SAO PAULO, Brazil–Kimi Raikkonen won the 2007 Formula One drivers world championship here Sunday for Ferrari when he produced a flawless run to victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The ‘ice-man’ from Finland drove superbly to grab the 15th win of his career and his sixth this year ahead of his Ferrari team-mate and local hero Felipe Massa.

Defending double drivers world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain finished third in his McLaren and ended up sharing second place in the drivers’ title race with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

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By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Ronnie Alcano missed a chance to make pool history Saturday.

Shane Van Boening took the measure of the dual world champion Alcano for the second time in as many days, 13-10, and bagged the 32nd US Open crown Saturday night in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The loss prevented the 34-year-old Alcano from becoming the first player to reign supreme in the World Pool Championship, World 8-Ball Championship and US Open at the same time.

The 24-year-old Van Boening, who sent Alcano to the losers’ bracket Friday, grabbed $50,000 and a spot on Team USA in the Mosconi Cup. Alcano settled for $25,000.

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By Marlon Bernardino
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Filipino Ronato Alcano stayed on course for a historic achievement in the 32nd US Open at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, Virginia, late Friday.

Unshaken by a loss in his previous outing, Alcano raced to a 10-0 lead and went on to post an 11-3 victory over Louis Ulrich, moving within three wins of becoming the first player ever to reign in the World Pool Championship, World 8-Ball Championship and US Open at the same time.

He won the world 9-ball title last year and the world 8-ball crown early this year.

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By Marc Anthony Reyes
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Bowling Hall of Famer Bong Coo thinks the dwindling international wins by Filipinos is due to lack of mental toughness.

“We see that our players lack mental toughness — the abilities are there but not the staying power,” said Coo. “We tend to take the lead in competitions but fade later on. That’s why our gold medals are getting fewer.”

To revive the killer instinct of the bowlers, Coo, the Philippine Bowling Congress secretary general, announced that a coach who will train them for mental toughness has been hired for the coming Southeast Asian Games campaign in December.

The four-time world champion and five-time Asian Games gold winner said the PBC has tapped the services of sports psychologist Marissa Adviento of Ateneo de Manila University to psyche up the 12-man team that will defend the overall title in Thailand.

“In practice we are good, but somehow, especially in team competition where every game counts, we need more improvement,” she said. “We must know how to perform under pressure. Hopefully in two months time we can achieve that.”

Coo said the Filipino keglers hope to duplicate if not surpass the four gold medals they won two years ago in the Philippines.

By Marc Anthony Reyes
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The country has a strong chance at the women’s beach volleyball gold if the Southeast Asian Games were to be held today.

Tony Boy Liao, manager of the Fil-Am tandem of Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua, made this bold claim Wednesday, noting that the bronze medalists of the 2005 SEAG are now in “top shape.”

“If the SEA Games is held today, there’s a strong chance we can win the (beach volley) gold medal,” said Liao. “And I’m not discounting the fact that the SEA Games will be held in Thailand.”

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By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The World Boxing Council has issued another call for super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico to defend his title against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao in his next fight.

Marquez is slated to defend his title against Rocky Juarez on Nov. 3, and should he come out victorious, WBC president Jose Sulaiman wants him to stake his 130-lb title against Pacquiao.

If Juarez pulls off an upset, Sulaiman said he would also be mandated to defend against the Filipino boxing icon.

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