Ruelle Canino achieved another milestone to her growing legend as she topped the male-dominated premier Under-18 Open standard division of the National Age Group Chess Championships over the weekend at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas.

The 16-year-old Cagayan de Oro-born lass drew with Karlycris Clarito, Jr. in the eighth and final round and finished with an undefeated record of seven points and a full point ahead of the field that included top seed FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca.

It was another feat for Canino, who topped the national women’s champion over older, more experienced masters and then beat three Women Grandmasters in helping seal the national team a historic Group II gold medal in last year’s Budapest Olympiad.

The impressive effort also earned the UAAP juniors MVP the right to represent the country in the U18 Open section of the Asian Youth Chess Championships slated Nov. 20 to 30 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Also earning a spot to the Bangkok tilt was April Joy Claros, who trounced Maryss Anxeniel Caldoza in the last round and then edged Jersey Marticio, whom the former had similar seven-point output, via higher tiebreaker to top the category.

Other division winners were Kaye Lalaine Regidor (girls U16), Mark Gabriel Usman (open U16), Soffia Joy Mamangun (girls U14), Christian Tolosa (open U14), Khana Kathrine Ventolero (girls U12), Steve Zacky Bolico (open U12), Faith Louise Dorupa (girls U10), and Danry Seth Romualdez (open U10).

The rapid and blitz titles of this four-day event, which was sponsored by CoinEx and backed by host Mayor Ben Patron and Congressman Mark Lester Patron, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP, were contested Sunday, march 16.