FORMER UAAP Most Valuable Player Gelita Castilo capped the 2026 MIA Badminton Challenge Cup with two championships in the women’s and mixed doubles 30-and-above divisions on Sunday at the MIA Sports Center in Pasay City.
Castilo, now coaching young players at DGS Bulacan, teamed up with Patricia Barredo to win the women’s doubles crown before pairing with Mike Minuluan for the mixed doubles title.
Castilo and Barredo completed an unbeaten run in the women’s doubles event with a 15-11, 15-6 victory over Lea Hermosilla and Lanie Reyes in the final.
The former UAAP standout later faced Barredo in the mixed doubles competition, where Castilo and Minuluan defeated Barredo and John Paul Yabut, 15-6, 15-2, in the final round-robin playoff match.
The result also served as the de facto championship match of the Philippine National Ranking System Super 500 tournament.
“Actually, bonus na lang talaga iyung mag-champion. Hindi ko naman iniisip mag-champion kasi ang lalakas rin ng mga kalaban namin, pero thankful kay Lord na ginabayan niya kaming lahat,” Castilo said.
“Nag-champion; kaya ko pa pala. Actually, wala talagang ganoong preparation, pero ito lang, passion ko kasi eh. Siguro ano, tibay na lang ng loob,” she added.
Castilo previously earned UAAP Season 79 MVP honors and won multiple championships while representing Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines.
Minuluan also ended the tournament with two medals after taking the mixed doubles open silver with Sarah Joy Barredo earlier in the week before winning the 30-and-above gold with Castilo.
Rabie Oba-ob likewise secured two medals, combining with fellow National University product Alem Palmares to win the men’s doubles 30-and-above title.
Oba-ob, the country’s No. 4 men’s singles player, and Palmares defeated Mark John Sabarre and Yabut, 15-8, 11-15, 15-5, in the championship match.
The Philippine Air Force airman first class had earlier lost the men’s singles open final to his University of the Philippines mentee, Shan Clar.
“Grateful ako ng sobra-sobra, kasi although wala masyadong preparation, nabigay ko yung best ko ng safe at nag-enjoy ako,” Oba-ob said.
“Masaya rin kasi first time kong naglaro sa 30-up and nag-champion. Kaya grateful ako sa lahat ng nangyari the whole week,” he added.
In the 40-and-above category, Marlon Villarin completed a double victory in the men’s and mixed doubles divisions.
Villarin and Ian Mendez swept the men’s doubles round-robin playoffs, highlighted by a 15-13, 12-15, 15-8 win over Jose Benipayo and Melvin Llanes.
He later teamed up with his wife, Joan Villarin, to claim the mixed doubles championship after Rodil Sertan and Melody Amoroso retired early in the final because of Sertan’s mobility issues. (Adrian Co)
