Desert Smashers shine

RASTANURA — The Desert Smashers Club (DSC) of Al Khobar stole the show at the recently held EBASA-RTBG Open Invitational Badminton Tournament here. The group, led by president Andrew Nathaniel Santos, came home as champions and runners-up in different categories. The group was won plaudits for being disciplined and sportsmen-like, who all came in colorful uniforms to take part in the competition participated not only by Filipinos but by different nationals from various regions of Saudi Arabia. As expected, its vice president Dennis Santos and deputy vice president Arfie Ramos emerged as champions in the men’s Doubles Flight 5B division. A thrilling championship match in the men’s Doubles Flight 6C division followed wherein the club’s Bernard Firme-Romeo Pandi tandem were hailed as kings. Arfie Ramos then paired with Mavz Soriano to lord the Mixed Doubles Flight B championship, which seemed like a repeat of last year when they won a similar title in the neighboring Bahrain. Meanwhile, a breath-taking match saw the dynamic duo of Joana Marie Capon and Joyce Serrano only managed the runners-up spot in the Ladies Doubles Flight 4, narrowly losing with a hairline single point after a 14-all score. A similar scene ensued in the Mixed Doubles Flight 5 championship when Leo Hina and Joyce Serrano ended up as runners-up. Santos thanked and congratulated all the participants. The Desert Smashers Club is a Filipino Community & Sports Organization in the Eastern Province. It is a member of the OFW Congress-EP under the auspices of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Eastern Region Operations. Its aim is not only to be instrumental in helping others achieve good health and to enhance their Badminton skills, but also to foster friendship, unity and camaraderie to jointly help the distressed overseas Filipinos in the Kingdom. — SG