Team Phl competes in 29 Asiad fronts

GUANGZHOU - The Philippines will vie in only 29 of 43 sports in the Asian Games slated Nov. 12-27 here with its final 188-strong contingent out to improve the country’s 4-6-9 (gold-silver-bronze) haul in the 2006 Games in Doha.

At the close of Monday’s Delegation Registration Meeting, deputies chief of mission Mauricio “Moying” Martelino and Benjamin Espiritu, finalized the administrative details for the entire contingent that also includes 53 coaches, 17 managers, 12 headquarters staff and a 10-man medical crew that comprise the leanest delegation assembled for an Asiad in the last 25 years.

“The size of our delegation is practical, cost efficient, and enhances our competitiveness,” said Espiritu.

More than a hundred athletes are arriving here tomorrow while POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and chief of mission Joey Romasanta will fly in a day after in time for the Nov. 11 flag raising ceremony to be attended by Philippine Consulate officials, led by Consul General Joselito Jimeno.

Meanwhile, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas finalized its 12-man roster last Saturday and it included Fil-Ams Solomon Mercado and Chris Lutz, both not in the original 19-man list that was submitted for early accreditation. Their application for accreditation was only submitted in October, way past the deadline set by the organizing committee but was approved by the GAGOC yesterday.

Prior to his arrival in China, Martelino made an appeal with the GAGOC and fortunately for the basketball squad, the latter allowed the accreditation of the two with some minor conditions.

“I sincerely hope that this 11th hour changes improve our chances because I know how important the basketball event is to us Filipinos,” Martelino said.

Mercado and Lutz will join Andy Mark Barroca, Chris Tiu, Joseph Casio, Japeth Aguilar, Gregory Slaughter, Marnel Baracael, Asi Taulava, Jason Ballesteros, Kelly Williams and Marcio Tsongo Lassiter, who was retained in favor of Dylan Simon Ababou.

The RP admin team also confirmed with GAGOC the withdrawal of two developmental shooters-Nicole Padilla and Shanin Lyn Gonzales-and the entry of two taekwondo athletes-Pauline Louise Lopez and Paul Romero--as replacement to the injured Olympian Antoinette Rivero and Nicole Mapilisan.

Two dance sports artists-Joel Madera and Annabelle Madera-likewise made the team as replacements to Karla and Bryan Ocana.

Composition of RP delegation by sport:

Aquatics (swimming 7, diving 5)

Archery (2)

Athletics (7)

Basketball (12)

Billiards (14)

Bowling (12)

Boxing             (8)

Canoe/Kayak (2)

Chess (regular 5, xiangqi 2)

Cycling (6)

Dancesport (12)

Fencing (2)

Golf (7)

Gymnastics (2)

Judo     (6)

Karate (4)

Rowing (3)

Sailing (3)

Sepak Takraw (3)

Shooting (8)

Softball (15)

Squash (2)

Taekwondo (12)

Tennis (4)

Soft Tennis (10)

Triathlon (2)

Weightlifting (2)

Wrestling (4)

Wushu (7)