Boys against men: Young Philippine teqball team earns respect

Sidelights

NAGOYA — At the Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center, the applause wasn’t for a medal. It was for a boy who refused to go away.

Prince Agustin was the last man standing for the Philippine teqball team.

Around him, the rest of the draw were men – older, taller, seasoned internationals from full-time programs. Across from him in the bronze-medal match was Myanmar’s Fridaw Saw.

Agustin is 14. A former sepak takraw kid from Cagayan Valley, son of a Wi-Fi technician and a plain housewife, barely a year into teqball – that strange, beautiful hybrid of sepak takraw, table tennis and football where you can’t touch the ball with your hands.

He lost, 12-7, 12-7. But to the very end, he fought a great, great fight. And the crowd in Higashi knew what they were watching – a youngster thrown into battle with men.

That’s what this Philippine team is.

Agustin and teammates Dailan Christoffe Montenegro and Anel Pacis are all 14. The oldest is lady player Jhoana Abulencia, 24. All of them are former sepak takraw players who are barely into teqball.

This is a team not yet fully established, considering teqball is relatively new in the country. But they turned out to be achievers.

Agustin was the anchor, and it makes sense. He won silver at the Asian Youth Games last year. He has good promise.