RP divers’ performance plunging

Diving officials warned 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games triple gold medal winner Sheila Mae Perez and some national team mainstays that they must stay in shape or face the specter of losing their berths in the national squad.

"We’ve been receiving several negative reports that the divers were not training properly," a source told The STAR, adding that the divers’ lack of focus could cost them their spots in the RP team bound for the 2007 Bangkok Southeast Asian Games slated Dec. 6-16.

That means Perez, hampered by a back injury she sustained during the 2006 Doha Asian Games, and company must earn their spots in the team by performing well in the first Cailaw Cup slated March 31-April 1 at the Trace Aquatics Center in Los Baños, Laguna.

The event, named after the man who popularized the sport in the country – Agustin Cailaw – will serve as part of the Philipppine Amateur Swimming Association’s selection process for the Bangkok-bound RP squad.

Divers who will perform well in the same tournament will be sent to the FINA or International Swimming Federation Grand Prix scheduled April 13-15 in Zhu Hai, China where berths in the 2008 Beijing Olympics are staked.

The other RP diving team members are Zardo Domenios, Cecile Domenios, Jaime Asok, Ryan Fabriga, Niño Carog, Kevin Kong and Onyx Deliarte.

The Philippines is hoping to match, if not surpass, its four gold-medal performance in the Manila SEAG where it finished second behind the Malaysians.

Perez was one of the four Filipinos who won three gold medals in the Manila Games. The others are swimmer Miguel Molina, pool player Alex Pagulayan and rower Benjie Tolentino.