source: abs-cbnnews.com

After their successful stint in the recent UK Memory Championships, Filipinos Johann Randall Abrina and Roberto Racasa hope to attain Grandmaster (GM) of Memory before the year end in China.

Team manager Aurelio "Reli" de Leon said Abrina and Racasa, both members of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)-Mandaluyong-Bagong Henerasyon RP Memory team, now have a more than even chance of getting favorable finishes in the World Memory Championships in Guangzhou, China on December 1-6.

"Malaki ang pag-asa nilang makuha ang coveted grandmaster memory title bago matapos ang taong ito. I hope maging maganda ang resulta nila sa World Memory Championships na gaganapin sa China." said De Leon.

Abrina is a registered nurse and UP Sports Psychology graduate student while Racasa is a former Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) top chess player and "kristo" (bet -taker in cockfighting).

The 28-year-old Abrina memorized a deck of cards in 1 minute and 20 seconds to bag his first GM norm in memory as well as the Silver Award in the UK Open International Memory Championships.

"I hope masuportahan kami ni Robert (Racasa) ng gobyerno natin, lalung-lalu na sa training namin," said Abrina, who needs 2 more GM norms to complete his GM of Memory.

The 34-year-old Racasa, meantime, wowed the spectators when he memorized 3 decks and 768 binary digits in 30 minutes, breaking the US record of 2 decks of cards and 630 binary digits in 30 minutes.

"Crucial 'yung gagawin namin ni Johann (Abrina) sa pag training namin. ‘Yung mga kalaban namin ay top 10 sa buong mundo at matagal ng naglalaro sa local at international competition sa event na ito pero kami ni Johann ay second time pa lamang ‘yung sa China sa Disyembre," said Racasa.

Delegation head and memory coach Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. added: "Tiyak na paghahandaan na din tayo ng mga makakalaban natin ibang bansa, kahit paano nakapag perform tayo ng maganda sa London kahit first time lamang natin naglaro sa tournament na ito."

Bernardino is also a sportswriter and radio commentator with US and RP international chess master status.

On Tuesday, the RP Memory Team received a warm welcome from officials and employee of Mandaluyong City hall.

The team paid a courtesy call on some of their supporters who backed their campaign in the United Kingdom.

Among those visited by the team were Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Ferdinand Jose Rojas II and PCSO Chairman Margie Juico.

Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon (BH) introduced a resolution commending the team.

Herrera-Dy accompanied the team to House Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte at the House of Representatives.

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