RP to send 249-strong delegation to Guangzhou Asiad

With a possible pull-out by the dragon boat team apparently averted, the Philippine Olympic Committee still sent out the official list of all participating Filipino athletes for next month’s 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. The POC submitted a 249-strong roster last Thursday, the final deadline imposed by the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC) for all participating countries. The 44-member dragon boat team thought of withdrawing from the official Philippine delegation when it encountered problems involving their training venue. Sports disciplines, with the corresponding number of athletes approved. are aquatics — swimming and diving (13) archery (2), athletics (8), men’s basketball (12), women’s basketball (12), billiards (14), bowling (12), boxing (6), canoe-kayak (2), chess (12), cycling (6), dancesport (12), dragon boat (44), equestrian (3), fencing (2), golf (7), gymnastics (2), judo (6), karatedo (4), rowing (3), sailing (3), sepak takraw (3), shooting (3), softball (15), soft tennis (10), squash (2), tennis (4), taekwondo (12), triathlon (2), weightlifting (2), wrestling (4) and wushu (7). Some of the prominent names and medal hopefuls in the delegation are Marestella Torres (athletics), Miguel Molina (swimming), Nathaniel Padilla (shooting), the ageless John Baylon (judo), Doha Asian Games medalist Marna Pabillore and Noel Espinosa (karatedo), and world champions Efren “Bata" Reyes, Dennis Orcollo, Roberto Gomez (billiards). POC secretary general and RP Chef de Mission Joey Romasanta, who also headed the screening committee, said that the number might decrease before the opening of the Asian Games on November 12. Taekwondo jin Nicole Mapilisan will not be competing after suffering an ACL injury, and the Philippine Taekwondo Federation (PTF) is in the process of finding her replacement. The dragon boat rowers, meanwhile, are now set to relocate from their usual practice venue on Manila Bay and undergo time trials on October 8 at the La Mesa Dam in Quezon City. The shift in venue had been delayed, causing the rowing team some concern. "We tried our best to ensure that all athletes are accommodated, and at the same time determine that they passed the criteria and will give our rivals a good fight. I believe this team is capable of surpassing our last Asian Games performance," said Romasanta. The Philippines brought home four gold, six silver and nine bronze medals from the 2006 Doha Asian Games. – JVP/KY, GMANews.TV