MANILA, Philippines - Two young shooters have withdrawn from Team Philippines, bringing down the roster to 188 athletes barely nine days before the 16th Asian Games blast off in Guangzhou, China.
Chef de mission Joey Romasanta told The STAR that Shanin Gonzales and Micaela Padilla voluntary backed out of the Phl shooting team to the Nov. 12-27 Games after a self-evaluation.
“They withdrew because realistically, they felt they are still off the level of Asian shooters to be competitive in the Games,” Romasanta said.
Padilla and Gonzales were the latest withdrawals from the Asiad contingent after the swimming association scratched off tanker Kendrick Uy last week.
With this, the shooting team will send only nine bets in the Guangzhou joust, led by veterans Nathaniel Tac Padilla, Eric Ang and Jethro Dionisio. Overall, Romasanta said Team Philippines will now be composed of 282 delegates, including 94 coaches and officials.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive board ratified its earlier decision to delist the 44-member men’s and women’s dragonboat teams from the delegation.
“It was already decided before and there were really new arguments brought out (now),” said Romasanta.
The paddlers had appealed the decision and sought the help of POC rules committee chief Go Teng Kok, in a last-ditch effort to rejoin the team.