Sepak takraw eyes more bets

MANILA, Philippines - Citing its athletes’ medal performances in the recent 28th Kings Cup World Championships, the sepak takraw association is appealing for additional representation in the 27th Southeast Asian Games this December in Myanmar.

Given a mere three-athlete representation by the SEA Games task force earlier – Jason Huerte, Rheyjey Ortouste and Emmanuel Escote – the PASTA said inclusion of three more athletes would allow participation in four of 10 events

PASTA secretary general Karen Tanchangco-Caballero said reinforcing the team with Ronsited Cabayeron, Rudolph Alvarez and Metodio Suico Jr. will allow the Philippines to take part in the hoop event, regu doubles and team events and, therefore, raise the chances of winning more medals.

Sepak takraw only managed a lone bronze medal in the 2011 Jakarta Games.

During yesterday’s SCOOP Sa Kamayan session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura, Caballero cited the national team’s one gold medal, a pair of silver and three bronze medals harvested in the Kings Cup held Sept. 16-23 in Udon, Thailand, as reason for her appeal.

The country’s lone gold medal triumph came from the team event made up of Huerte, Ortouste, Cabayeron, Alvarez, Escote, Arnel Isorena, Junmar Aleta, John John Babier, Ediran Resueno, Marbie Quirante, Abdulwasif Dimaporo and Rhenwell Catana.

 On the way to victory. the Filipinos beat the eight counties in the field, including a 3-0 shutout of Brunei in the gold medal play.

The pair of silver medals came in the men’s and women’s Regu events, while the bronzes were scooped up courtesy of men’s and women’s hoop events and the women’s team event.

Members of the men’s regu silver medalist team were Cabayeron, Huerte, Ortouste, Isorena and Escote, while the bronze medalist hoop squad was made up of Suico, Alvarez, Herte, Aleta, Quirante and Cabayeron.

Depending on the fate of its appeal, Caballero said chances are that PASTA would, likewise, begged that a women’s team be included on the strength of the Kings Cup contingent’s pair of a silver medal and a pair of bronze medals.