PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — The 2010 Smart-ABAP National Open came to a close Friday with a handful of boxers expected to clinch a slot in the national youth team.

At the end of the five-day event, the panel of national coaches was impressed with the performance of Davao del Norte’s Victorio Saludar and Mark Anthony Barriga, Davao City’s Engelbert Moralde, Misamis Oriental’s Albert Pagala, and Bago City’s James Palicte.

Saludar and company will be invited to train in the national youth pool for a chance to play for the national team in the Olympic qualifying tourney in Baku, Azerbaijan in April and the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics in August.

The hard-hitting Saludar crushed Kevin James Gob of Tayabas City with 1:35 left in the first round to capture the youth boys’ bantamweight crown while Barriga won over Albert Sumugat of Palawan A, 21-5, to rule the junior boys’ pinweight class.

Moralde, meanwhile, clobbered Jeff Rodriguez of Puerto Princesa C, 12-3, to win the junior boys’ light flyweight title while Pagala and Palicte dominated Mario Fernandez of Ablayan, Bukidnon, 18-4, and Robert Tompong of Palawan A, 15-9, to conquer the junior boys’ flyweight and bantamweight titles, respectively.

“These are the boxers that we’re looking at,” said RP Team head coach Pat Gaspi, who watched at the sidelines along with fellow mentors Roel Velasco, Boy Catolico, and Romeo Brin.

Saludar, however, might be turned over to the elite pool since he will be turning 19 this year.

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines needs five boxers in the boys and nine for the girls' division to complete the squad.