Brin, Laguna pour over battle plans, eye bronze

TAEJON CITY, South Korea -- With instructions from the coaching staff given to the last detail and the mission emphasized anew for good measure, Romeo Brin and Roel Laguna climb the ring Sunday as Team Caltex Philippines eyes two bronze medals which, hopefully, could change into a better color in the fifth Seoul Cup at the Chung Mu Stadium here.

Brin, a 26-year-old Army sergeant from Puerto Princesa City, takes on lightwelterweight Yamaguchi Iuroshi of Japan while bantamweight Laguna, a 19-year-old native of Cagayan de Oro City, debuts against hometown bet Cho Seok Hwan with both Filipinos eyeing wins to boost their bid for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

"Pinagusapan namin talagang mabuti ito. Kailangan detalyado lahat dahil parehong mabigat ang laban nina Romeo at Roel," said team manager Mike Lopez who, along with Amateur Boxing Association chairman Gemiliano Lopez, head coach Nolito "Boy" Velasco, Pat Gaspi and George Caliwan spent the whole of Saturday holed out in a room mapping out battle plans for each boxer.

Filipino referees Rene Fortaleza and Arturo Vidal also pitched in, providing the coaching staff with their observations of the foreign boxers in the categories of the Filipino bets.

Boxing slots to the Sydney Games slated late this year are up for grabs in this 24-nation event popularly known as the second Asian Olympic qualifying, but only if one is to reach the final.