Things looked bright for chess in Negros Occidental in 2006 when Joel Pimentel, a prodigy of the JRR Foundation Inc., became the youngest Fide Master from the province on his way to two international titles.

The 14-year-old Pimentel, who hails from Bacolod City, copped his first international crown in June when he reigned supreme in the boys' 14-Under category of the ASEAN Age-Group Chess Tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia in June, before emerging co-champion in the boys' 15-Under division of the 2nd Asian Schools Chess Festival Age-Group Tournament in Singapore last month.*

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JOAN TIPON, Amateur Boxing
DLNHS, Senior League Softball
JUVIC PAGUNSAN, Pro Golf
JAMES YAP, Pro Basketball
MIA PICCIO, Amateur Golf
JOEL PIMENTEL, Chess
STEPHEN HINOJALES, Shooting
GODFREY CASTRO & MITCHEL MARTINEZ Amateur Boxing
ARNIEL FERRERA, Hammer Throw