Olympia Ducanes and Joshua Banas emerged victorious in the U15 mixed doubles division of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Youth Contender Puerto Princesa 2025.
The Filipino pair outclassed compatriots Chloe Silva and Rald Tanghal in the final, winning in straight sets, 11-2, 11-7, 11-7, to claim the championship at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum.
The 13-year-old tandem showcased their resilience in the semifinals, overcoming Myzette Torres and eventual U15 boys’ singles champion Khevine Cruz, 11-7, 9-11, 13-11, 11-5, to book a title showdown with Silva and Tanghal.
Following a first-round bye, Ducanes and Banas cruised past Zoellen Samson and Germain Barroga, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4, in the round of 16. They then toppled the Malaysian duo of Koh Wei Yeow and Chong Yi Hang, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6, to advance to the semifinals.
Ducanes, a standout for the University of the Philippines Integrated School and the 2023 UAAP Rookie of the Year, has an already impressive track record. She previously secured a gold medal in the 2023 Batang Pinoy girls’ cadet singles while representing Pasig.
Currently, she is vying for a spot in the National Capital Region squad for the Palarong Pambansa, having dominated the high school girls’ singles division at the Quezon City Meet.
Banas also made his mark in the tournament, clinching the U13 boys’ singles title. A product of Central Philippine University, he is the reigning Palarong Pambansa elementary boys’ singles champion and a bronze medalist in the 2024 Batang Pinoy 13-under boys’ category.
Organized by the Puerto Princesa local government, led by Mayor Lucilo Bayron, the tournament marked a significant moment for Philippine table tennis, as it was the third consecutive year that an international WTT event was hosted in the country.
Other winners in the competition included Jebb Datahan (U19 boys’ singles), Lim Xi Qian of Malaysia (U19 girls’ singles, U17 girls’ singles), Datahan and Zachi Chua (U19 mixed doubles), Mohd Dania of Malaysia (U15 and U13 girls’ singles), Koh Wei Yeow (U13 boys’ singles), Hu Kai Xiang of Chinese Taipei (U11 boys’ singles), and Amabelle Chua of Malaysia (U11 girls’ singles).
