Paddlers brace for 'battle royale' vs Asia's best

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine dragon boat team feels good about their upcoming races in the third Asian Beach Games here, its mood buoyed after breaking in the competition boat in two practice sessions in Haiyang, China.

“The paddlers are excited because they found the design of the competition boat to their liking and we think they’re one solid bunch,” said coach Len Escollante, after her 16-member crew made a pair of four-kilometer runs with the boat.

The Pinoy paddlers will vie for honors in the 200m, 500m and 3,000m races in what Escollante described as a looming “battle royale” with powerhouse China, Asian Games titlist Indonesia and Southeast Asian Games kingpin Myanmar.

China, according to Escollante, boasts of a deep bench, while Indonesia has added new faces to an already formidable lineup.

“This will be an interesting race because everyone is on the edge as the world championships in Italy is fast approaching,” said Escollante.

The world championships, which are being organized by the International Canoe Federation, the international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee, will take place in August in Milan and could be the catapult for the inclusion of the discipline of dragon boat as a demonstration sport in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“We were informed that the ICF will drop the four-man kayak event and introduce dragon boat for the 2016 Olympics and a strong lobby might increase our chances to be a regular event by 2020,” Escollante said.

The paddlers are also bent on landing a podium finish to somehow ease up the country’s pain from Manny Pacquiao’s recent loss to Timothy Bradley.

“We know it still hurts so we’ll do everything to somehow get Phl pride back,” they said. 

Meanwhile, Phl’s developmental team in beach handball, managed by association executive director Dr. Jay Adalem, had a friendly workout with Chinese-Taipei and appeared ready for “its baptism of fire” in a 1-1 draw. 

Aside from dragon boat and beach handball, the country will be participating in beach basketball and sport climbing. The cagebelles and climbers planed in yesterday together with POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and Olympic Council of Asia Athletes Commission member Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, to complete the Phl contingent here.

On Friday, chef de mission Dr. Benjamin “Chippy” Espiritu will lead the delegates in the flag-raising rites preceding the formal opening on Saturday where paddler Alex Sumagaysay will carry the national colors.

Cojuangco, a special adviser to Olympic Council of Asia president Sheik Ahmed Al Sabah, will also attend the Executive Council Meeting of the OCA while Cojuangco-Jaworski will take part in the regular Athletes Commission meeting.