AFTER taking home gold and bronze medals in the 24th Asian Mountain Bike Championships in Danao City, Cebu, Ariana Dormitorio aims to continue her winning ways in Japan.
The Iloilo City native is set to compete in the UCI Category Class 1 Yawatahama International in Japan this Sunday as she hopes to garner the needed UCI points to qualify to the Tokyo Olympics.
Dormitorio, who won the Under 23 category in the Japan tournament last year, said she hopes to capture the needed UCI Olympic points after getting 75 points last Sunday for winning the Women’s U-23 Olympic Cross Country gold medal in Cebu.
“I won the Under 23 category in Japan last year, but I expect a tough competition this time as I compete in the Elite category,” Dormitorio said before they depart to Japan on Wednesday.
The mountain bike Olympic qualifier officially started this month and, in the case of Asia, with the Asian Championships in Cebu over the weekend and onwards until the early part of 2020.
Aside from the Asian MTB Series, Dormitorio will also attempt to get UCI Olympic points in the Asian Games in Indonesia and either at World Cup or World Championships both scheduled in Europe before the year ends.
“I will try to earn as many UCI points as possible but my main focus is in the Asian Championships next year in Lebanon because if I win a gold there, I will get an automatic Olympic seat,” Dormitorio said.
***
Members of the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, led by head coach Godfrey Okumu, will be conducting a free volleyball clinic on May 19 at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
Jose Montalbo, Bacolod Tay Tung’s vice president for sports, said Okumu will be joined by Lady Maroons stars Diana Carlos, Maria Lina Molde and Bacolodnon Ma. Arielle L. Estranero in the clinic.
“This volleyball clinic will be open to all girls 12 years old and up,” Montalbo told Buzzer Beater. “I am encouraging those interested to grab this rare opportunity to learn from coach Okumu and the volleyball stars of UP.”
Montalbo said the free volleyball clinic is part of a partnership with Lady Maroons, wherein the latter will help in Tay Tung’s volleyball program.
In return, Lady Maroons will be given priority among recruiters of volleyball players from Tay Tung. Recently UP had secured the commitments of Tay Tung standouts Marianne Sotomil and Jeanny Padilla.
“What is good here is open ang free volleyball clinic ng UP not only to Tay Tung but also the Bacolodnons and others nearby. We believe that there are many potential volleyball players out there. They just need to be discovered,” Montalbo said.
Aside from the volleyball clinic, Okumu and Estranero are also set to grace the opening of the 4th Jose G. Montalbo Invitational Volleyball Tournament (secondary girls born 2001) on May 18 to 20./PN
