One family, two medals, and a story that runs deeper than the scoreboards.
As the final point of the battle for bronze landed, the Sportzify Badminton Center erupted and with it, a family’s long wait for a shared podium ended. Jarren Alwin Puno and his older sister Jairah Alexa Puno both carried medals home for St. Mary’s College of Baliuag, Inc. (S.M.C.B.) from the Baliwag City Private Schools Association (BaCiPriSA) Meet 2026, Oct. 8.
His road to silver was anything but smooth. The battle for second place came down to a razor-thin margin, and Jarren admitted the tension nearly got to him.
Winning that 30-29 match point was his key moment; the win wasn’t just his own. He also remembered the moment he and his teammates cheered for one another—a reminder that in badminton, even the singles battles are fought with a team behind you.
Jarren’s journey began early. He started playing back in the fifth grade, tracing his roots in the sport to his elementary years.
What began as a schoolboy’s pastime grew into years of training, and by the time BaCiPriSA arrived, he was no longer a beginner chasing rallies—he was a competitor chasing a place on the podium for his school.
The ninth grader named the opponent who pushed him hardest; Brice Gala from Immaculate Conception School of Baliuag. Facing a rival from another school in a deciding match taught him something bigger than the medal itself.
“My main realization is that winning is not everything. Getting second place in badminton during BaCiPriSA taught me to be proud of my hard work, learn from my mistakes, and keep practicing to become a better player,” said Jarren.
Jarren admitted he still has a lot to improve in badminton. Getting second place brought him joy, but it also motivated him to practice more and do better next time. He credited the people around him for getting him there, pointing to his practice, his hard work, and his coach’s guidance.
His older sister, Jairah, on the other hand—came into BaCiPriSA as a veteran of the event, not a newcomer.
She had been competing in BaCiPriSA for four years now. Her résumé backs it up: silver in girls singles back in her third year, and another silver in girls doubles the succeeding year. By 2026, she was competing for the last time—and she knew it.
Four years of competition taught Jairah what medals alone cannot.
Badminton truly humbled her—it taught her discipline and true sportsmanship. Jairah was honest about the days that tested her resolve, when she felt she wasn’t improving and even got discouraged, until their coach taught them that discipline and consistency are the keys to being a good player.
Two medals, a silver for Jarren, a bronze for Jairah—and two very different chapters of the same BaCiPriSA story. One sibling is just getting started, hungry to improve after a nerve-wracking 30-29 win; the other is closing a four-year run with gratitude instead of regret.
Together, the Puno siblings gave S.M.C.B. more than hardware; they gave it a family’s worth of proof that hard work, humility, and a loud cheering section can carry you to the podium—and sometimes, past it.
