Hopes high for cagers, rugby aces in Asiad

MANILA, Philippines - Despite their bulky compositions, Philippine Sports Commission chairman and chef de mission Richie Garcia expects Gilas Pilipinas and the Volcanoes’ Sevens crew to easily make the grade for the contingent bound for the 2014 Asian Games.

Assessing the team sports vying for slots in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, Garcia said the cagers and the rugby aces have both proven their worth in the Continent, making them contenders in the September Asiad in Incheon, Korea.

The Gilas cagers finished a fighting second in last year’s Fiba Asia Championship in Manila, signaling the country’s return to the Fiba World Cup set this year in Spain. The Volcanoes, for their part, achieved a milestone by reaching the World Cup Sevens in 2013 while their 15s squad maintained their position among the Elite 5 in Asia.

“Gilas qualified (with their silver finish) during the Fiba Asia (last year), while rugby was ranked fourth or fifth in Asia. They have players playing in Japan and you can see their improvement. I think we can gamble on them in the Asian Games plus we’re also thinking about the next Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, where rugby sevens will also be played,” he said.

Garcia, however, couldn’t say the same to Pinoy bets in football. 

“It would still be an under-23 competition, so it’s not the regular Azkals team which will go. We’d like to ask the PFF (Philippine Football Federation): how do they see the chances of the team, especially against Japan, Korea, Saudi? Also against rivals from Southeast Asia?” he said.

The U-23 Azkals didn’t make the cut for Team Phl in last year’s SEA Games in Myanmar. The women’s team Malditas got the greenlight to join the 2013 SEAG but bombed out of the group stages.

Other team sports bidding for Asiad berths are baseball and softball. 

Of the two, softball stands a good chance as the Phl Blu Girls placed fourth in the last Asian Championship, their best finish in recent years. 

Garcia said there’s a possibility that the athletes responsible for the 29 gold medals in Myanmar will be sent to Incheon.

“We may include them in the delegation considering that the Asian Games is the year before the next SEA Games. The two are just 18 months apart so we can consider it part of their continuing training for the next SEA Games,” Garcia said.

The Asiad task force, according to Garcia, will be formally formed next week and will begin formulating the criteria for selection.