MANILA, Philippines – Aside from winning a silver medal in the 4th UK International Open Memory Championships, the Philippine team also received a special award in the recently-concluded event.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)-Mandaluyong-Bagong Henerasyon RP Memory Team was given a certificate in recognition of the farthest distance traveled (6,850 miles) to compete in the London event.

The tournament was held at MWB Business Exchange, One Kingdom Street in Paddington, Central London.

The RP Team is composed of Johann Randall Paton-og Abrina and Roberto Mangaran Racasa, Aureli “Reli” de Leon as team manager, and RP and US Chess Master Almario “Marlon” Bernardino, Jr. as delegation head and coach.

The Filipinos’ campaign in the London event led to their advancement into the World Memory Championships in Guangzhou, China from December 1 to 6.

The RP team members are expected to arrive in Manila on Tuesday night via Emirates Airlines.

Abrina, 28, bagged the silver medal for winning the speed cards category by memorizing a deck of cards in 1 minute and 20 seconds while the 34-year-old Racasa memorized 3 decks of cards in order, plus 768 digit binary numbers in 30 minutes.

Abrina and Racasa were backed by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, PCSO through General Manager (GM) Atty. Ferdinand Jose Rojas II and chairman Margie Juico, Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon Party-List, PBA legend Robert Jaworski, sportsman/businessman Hermie Esguerra of Herma Group of companies, Dr. Philip Ella Juico and Willy Ortiz of ACCEL.

The RP Team was also supported by Doctors Manny and Regina Canlas, AVP for marketing Cheryl Felizardo of Natrapharm-Patriot Group Inc., Terry Capistrano, Atty. Sixto Esquivas, Filway Marketings Inc. CEO/President Hector Tagaysay, Tourism Promotion Board COO Cynthia Carreon, Bugsy Promotions and Sebastian Chua of Star Billiards Center.

The team also expressed gratitude to ABS-CBN/The Filipino Channel’s Balitang Europe Senior Correspondent-Europe Consultant Rose Eclarinal, People’s Movement for the Creation of Philippine Jury (PHILJURY), OnePhilippines publisher Gen Ashley and the Philippine Embassy in London for their support.