Boatwright hopeful of Asiad stint

MANILA, Philippines — Naturalization candidate Bennie Boatwright is upbeat about his possible Gilas Pilipinas debut in the Asian Games and collaboration with Justin Brownlee.

Boatwright’s bid got a big boost as the Senate committee on justice and human rights, after conducting a hearing Wednesday, endorsed HBN 6639 and SBN 1595, the bills seeking to grant him Philippine citizenship, to the plenary for approval on second and third reading.

With support from sports-minded legislators led by Sen. Bong Go, the proposed measure is expected to breeze by the next phase of the process and open the door to his participation in the Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 Asiad in Japan.

“For sure, I’m definitely looking forward to that (Asiad). I heard that you can have two imports, so me and Justin can play together. That would be exciting,” he said. “I will do my best to help out, win another championship, but one step at a time. I have to get naturalized first, and then we go.”

Boatwright received the backing of Go, chair of the Senate committees on Sports and Youth. “Granting deserving individuals Philippine citizenship will not only strengthen our national sports program and enhance our international competitiveness, but will also inspire future generations of Filipino athletes to pursue excellence, discipline, and national pride,” said Go, co-author of the measure.