Filipina sepak takraw bets gird for first gold

NAKHON RATCHASIMA – The sepak takraw team braces for what could be the team’s first ever gold since 1979 and the Philippines breakthrough gold in the 24th Southeast Asian Games when it battles Thailand in the hoops event today at the indoor hall of the Nakhon Ratchasima national stadium here.

Mario Tanchanco, president of the Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association, said the team, composed of practically the same members that won the silver behind Thailand in the 2005 Manila SEA Games, has consistently exceeded the standard of 610 in “secret” training at the Hagedorn Sports Complex in Palawan for two years.

The team includes veterans Irene Apdon, Deseree Autor, Sarah Jane Catain, Gelyn Evora, Josefina Maat and newcomer Rhea Padrigo.

Tanchanco said the team has scored 730 to 750 points in practice, far better than the standard set by Thailand (610) this month in the Asian Indoor Championships in Macau.

“We purposely did not participate in Macau to hide our players,” said Tanchanco, adding that only the weather and the boisterous hometown crowd could stand in the way of the Filipinas’ gold medal quest.

The hoops event, which was resurrected in 2005 in place of the circle event in 2003, requires a player to kick the sepak takraw ball to a basket. Each of the five players can do three varieties of the 15 kick forms. A perfect score per round is 15. A team makes a perfect score of 750 in 10 rounds.

The RP team also increased its medal chance following the withdrawal of Malaysia from all sepak takraw events, citing the issue of the rubber-padded ball, which replaced the 100 percent synthetic ball for the SEA Games.

In a press conference yesterday, the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation announced the decision of the crack Malaysian team two days before the competitions, putting the schedule in disarray but giving the Philippines a chance for two silvers and two more bronze medals in the doubles and regu events, respectively.

However, the weather could work adversely for the Filipinas who have practiced in the warm comfort of the the Hagedorn Complex in Palawan and the men’s team which shares playing courts with the badminton team at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“Even if the competition is held indoors, the climate will still be a factor because the hosts, accustomed to the climate because of their year-round training, did not install heaters in the venue,” said Tanchanco.

Still the Asian sepak takraw federation noted that Malaysia, a power since 1965, is gradually losing its foothold on the sport with the surge of Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines during the last 10 years.

The Malaysian withdrawal leaves the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar in a three-way battle for supremacy in the men’s and women’s hoops, doubles, team and men’s and women’s regu.

Tanchanco said the hometown crowd will also be a factor in the Games.

“If the crowd starts jeering as the Filipino goes through the routine, he may lose his focus,” said Tanchanco. – Gerry Carpio