Patrombon, Barbosa open RP bid in YOG

SINGAPORE – Swimmer Jessie Lacuna has been pulled out of the 400m free event, leaving netter Jeson Patrombon and taekwondo jin Kirk Barbosa as the spearheads of Team Philippines’ opening day bid in the first Youth Olympic Games in various venues here today (Sunday).

Patrombon, who honed his skills by competing in the Asia, Pacific and European circuits, hopes to set the lean nine-man RP contingent’s bid in motion as he trades shots with Bowen Ouyang of China in one of the first round matches in boys tennis at 11:30 a.m. at the Kallang Tennis Center.

“I am satisfied with the draw,” said tennis coach Manny Tecson, confident that his 17-year-old ward would progress to the next round of the 32-player field that includes the top 12 junior netters in the world.

Patrombon is also teaming up with former world junior No. 1 Yuki Bambri of India as they collide with fourth seed Dramir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Mate Pavic of Croatia in the first round of the doubles competitions tomorrow (Monday).

Tecson said Patrombon is all primed up for the event, which also gives world ranking points in both the main and consolation rounds equal to the Grand Slams.

Like Patrombon, Barbosa also exudes confidence as he sets out against Gili Haimovitz of Israel in the -48kg division at the International Convention Centre.

Unlike his tennis counterpart, however, the 15-year-old Barbosa is eyeing not just a win in his 3 p.m. encounter with his taller foe but at least a bronze medal since only eight entries qualified in their division via the tough YOG qualifier.

Taekwondo coach Kitoy Cruz, a many-time gold SEA Games gold medalist, said Barbosa had the luck of the draw as he was grouped opposite those who beat him in the Tijuana Junior World Championships in Mexico last March.

“I don’t care who my opponent is. I will fight to the very end,” said the La Salle Greenhills bet, the smallest at 5 feet in a field of eight, which includes two 5-10s.

A victory by Barbosa will line him up against the winner of the Vittorio Rega of Italy-Lucas Guzman of Argentina match in a semis duel set at 7, also tonight.

Lacuna was originally set to compete in one of the heats in the 400m free today but decided to concentrate on his pet 200m free set Monday where he has more chances of making it to the finals.

“The 400m free is not his best so coach (Pinky Brosas) is reserving him instead for 200m free on Monday,” said Mark Joseph, chef of mission of Team RP.

He said that since Lacuna is ranked No. 7 in the 200m, he has more chances of making it to the finals.

Jasmin Alkhaldi, the other swimmer in the team, opens her campaign in the 100m free Monday where she hopes to advance to the semis also set Monday night.

“Jasmin is ranked in the middle so she will be in for the finals,” said Joseph of the 16-year-old Alkhaldi, who with Lacuna underwent a two-month training in Australia in their buildup for the games.

Joseph said Lacuna is also set to compete in the 100m free and 200m fly while Alkhaldi will also see action in the 50m and 200m free and 100m fly.

The RP dribblers, meanwhile, will not see action until tomorrow when they collide with a tall Ivory Coast side at 10:30 a.m. at the Scape Youth Space Court I.

They will then take on Spain on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. before going up against Croatia and South Africa on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

The top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals. Patricia Llena, the country’s best bet for a medal here, goes for it in the 63kg women final on Tuesday at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

YOG NOTES: Around 2000 mediamen from 205 countries, including 29 recipients of YOG’s Young Reporters’ Program, are covering the games, which features some 3,600 athletes in the 14-18 years old divisions. There are 16 competition venues around the city-state, some to be converted after each event...The IOC approved the creation of the YOG during its session in Guatemala in 2007, the first new Olympic initiative in 80 years...Singapore edged eight other candidate cities for the hosting rights of the inaugural YOG...China, host of this year’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, will stage the second YOG in 2014 in Nanjing...While an Olympic Games Organizing Committee typically needs seven years to plan and prepare for the Games, it took Singapore just two and a half years to organize the first YOG...The Games mascots are Lyo, the Lion of the Youth Olympics, and Merly, for liveliness and youthfulness..The YOG features the same number of sports (26) slated in the London 2012 Olympic Games program...Olympic champions Usain Bolt, Yelena Isinbaeva and Michael Phelphs are the YOG’s ambassadors...the YOG Main Media Centre has a total floor area of 7,000 sqm, housed over two levels at the sprawling Marina Bay Sands Exhibition and Convention Center.