The Philippine men’s and women’s sepak takraw teams that will be representing the country in the 29th SEAG in Malaysia.
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PH men’s sepak takraw team tries to do better in 2017 SEA Games
Cebuano striker Rheyjey Ortouste and the rest of the Philippine men’s sepak takraw team hope to bounce back from a gold-medal heartbreak when they compete in the 29th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) this August in Malaysia.
Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association (Pasta) president Karen Tanchanco-Caballero told Cebu Daily News that the 12-man team headed by coaches Metodio Suico Jr. and Junmar Aleta and the ladies’ squad led by mentors Romulo Ruedas and Gene Mark Saavedra are undergoing rigid training in preparation for the biennial event.
“They are all currently in Iloilo for intensive SEAG boot camp training. Men’s team will join doubles event, team doubles, regu, chinlone linking, chinlone non-repetition, secondary. For ladies team, (they will join) regu and doubles,” Tanchanco-Caballero shared.
It can be recalled that Ortouste, Jason Huerte, and Emmanuel Escote were on their way to winning that elusive gold when they took the opening set before dropping the next two sets to Myanmar, losing 2-1 to settle for a silver in the men’s doubles competition in the 2015 SEAG in Singapore.
Although that title-loss is still in his mind, Ortouste, who once played for the Abellana National School, vows to give his best shot in this year’s edition to finally grab the country’s first SEAG gold in the sport.
“My goal is to get the gold medal this SEA Games. I won’t promise but I will do everything for the country,” Ortouste said.
Aside from the three, the men’s team is composed of Mark Joseph Imperial, Ronsited Gabayeron, JC Lee, Regie Reznan Pabriga, Jeffrey Morcillos, Joeart Jumawan, John Bobier, Rhemwil Catana, Alvin Pangan while the ladies team is made up of Kristel Carloman, Mary Ann Lopez, Rizzalyn Amolacion, Lhaina Mangubat and Jean Marie Sucalit.
Tanchanco-Caballero added that the team is eyeing a 1-2-1 medal-haul in the meet, saying they are looking at the men’s doubles team comprised of Ortouste, Imperial and Huerte to give the country its first SEAG gilt.
The sepak takraw delegation will return to Manila from Iloilo on Aug. 8 before flying to Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 14 for the SEAG.
Although the road to glory presents a lot of challenges, the Philippine men’s and women’s sepak takraw teams are ready to embrace the tougher grind ahead which may result in body pains. After all, the pain is temporary but the gold medal will last forever.