This is the second in a series of articles featuring the IGA Ken delegation to the 15th Hong Kong Open. This time we focus on the Ladies' Team B.
This is the Ladies’ Team B of IGA Ken for the 15th Hong Kong Open. They are composed of one returning veteran player and two rookies to the competition. Their stated goal is to meet the other IGA Ken Ladies’ Teams in the medal rounds of the tournament. Under the leadership of Dardsie, a veteran of the 13th & 14th HK Opens and the 10th ASEAN Tourney, they just might make good on this promise.
Let us get to know the team members a little bit better.
Senpo – Marie Angelyn Mercado
Age: 25
Started Kendo: Nov 2012
Current Rank: 1-kyu
Occupation: Software Developer
Short Bio: Angelyn is a UP Diliman Computer Science graduate who has a knack of trying anything under the sun. Little did she know that kendo would become a permanent thing in her life. She aims to create a robot motodachi one day or change the world.
Chuken – April Rose Enerio
Age: 22
Year started Kendo: July 2013
Current Rank: 1-kyu
Occupation: Journalist
Short Bio: A full-time broadcast journalist and a freelance events organizer, April spends most of her time monitoring the Philippine weather and browsing feeds on cats and dogs. Routine includes a cup of tea and a bite or two of chocolates daily. One of the things she learned from Kendo is doing suburi before the show gives her better lung capacity for broadcast.
Taisho – Dardsie Abriol-Santos
Age: 25
Year Started Kendo: 2010
Current Rank: 2-dan
Current Occupation: Geologist
Short Bio: Dardsie is the miracle student of the club. In spite of only being able to practice once a month for the past 3 years due to the nature of her work, she has managed to pass all her dan-gradings (both taken in Hong Kong), and be competitive in all the tournaments she has joined. Will this year be another miracle one for her? We certainly hope it is!