PANNA 2 ginto ang target sa Singapore SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines - Dalawang gintong me­­­dalya ang target na makuha ng Philippine Archers’ National Network and Alliance (PANNA) sa darating na 2015 Southeast Asian Games.

Nais din ng PANNA na magkaroon ng magandang kampanya sa Olympic-qualifying World Cham­pionships sa pamamagitan ng kanilang lineup na itinuturing nilang “dream team.”

Babanderahan nina Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Luis Gabriel Moreno, London Olympian Rachelle Ann dela Cruz, veteran Amaya Cojuangco at 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Paul Marton dela Cruz ang 16-member roster na namayani sa idinaos na three-round qualification tourney ng PANNA.

Makakasama ni Moreno sina veteran Florante Mata, London Games campaigner Mark Javier at Zander Lee Reyes sa men’s recurve team.

“I want to label it as our ‘dream team.’ If you look at the roster, every division, from compound to recurve, it’s a complete mix of experience and youth,” sabi ni PANNA president Fred Moreno.

Makakatuwang naman ni Dela Cruz sina junior stalwart Kareel Hongitan, YOG campaigner Bianca Gotuaco at Marie Crizabelle Mamerto.

Ang Incheon Games third-placer na si Dela Cruz ang mamumuno sa men’s compound squad katulong sina Earl Yap, Jose at Delfin Adriano, habang makakasama ni Cojuangco sina Incheon Games teammates Joanne Tabanag at Abbigail Tindugan at veteran Jennifer Chan.

Hangad ng koponan na malampasan ang one-gold output sa nakaraang SEAG noong 2013.

Ang nag-iisang gintong medalya ay mula sa men’s team compound.

“It’s been a long time since we have sent a complete team of 16 to the SEA Games,” wika ni Moreno. “Last SEA Games we did okay for compound but now that we have more entries, we’re targeting at least two golds from the archery competitions.”

Ang nasabi ring gru­po ang magpipilit na ma­kakuha ng tiket para sa Rio Olympics sa lalahukang world championships.

Ang top 8 nations sa team competitions ang makakakuha ng tatlong individual places.

“We’ll really do our best. We feel we have better chances now considering the right blend of expe­rience and youth,” sabi ng PANNA chief sa koponan na lalahok din sa Asia Cup at World Cup.