ABU DHABI — A former varsity player and a father inspired by his son reclaimed glory in the table tennis arena, winning the gold medal in the men’s doubles 45+ category at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 (OMGAD) on Thursday.
John Suico and David Lo, both overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in Dubai, dominated their Indian opponents in the semifinals and finals, sweeping both matches 3-0 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.
“We’re very happy to win the gold medal. The support of the Filipino community here is overwhelming,” Suico, a former St. Mary’s College varsity player from Davao and former coach of a table tennis club in Dubai, told the Philippine News Agency.
Both Suico and Lo also advanced to the quarterfinals of the men’s singles 45+ division.
“Tomorrow, we will also play in the singles quarterfinals. We might even face each other in the finals,” Lo said, smiling at his partner. The two shared a laugh at the thought.
“Champion na rin siya, kagaya ng kanyang anak [He is already a champion now, like his son]. So, we’ll see,” Suico added.
Lo, who last played competitive table tennis in 1998, returned to the sport in 2022 after his son Zach started playing. “Then when he improved a lot, he began teaching me, too. It’s the other way around now—he’s the better one,” David said.
His 12-year-old son has already been winning championships in various tournaments, including in the United States. “This coming April, we will return to the Philippines. I’ll have my son compete in tournaments there,” Lo added.