Sepak takraw ready for SEAG buildup
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2019 09:18:10 +0000
The Philippine sepak takraw team, backed by Go For Gold, will have a busy calendar this year as it intends to claim the ultimate prize in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Kicking off its hectic schedule is its participation in the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia on April 26-May 4 where the toughest teams are expected to compete.
“The key is to expose our players to as many overseas tournaments as we can for them to gain more experience against a variety of opponents,” said Pilipinas Sepak Takraw Association Inc. president Karen Tanchanco-Caballero.
Go For Gold’ Jeremy Go, the team’s godfather, is committed to throw his all-out support to sepak takraw’s buildup for the 11-nation Games on Nov. 30-Dec. 11 to be held in the cities of Clark, Subic and several venues in Metro Manila.
Right after their campaign in the Arafura meet, both the men’s and women’s squads are bound to set up camp in South Korea and Thailand for a few months before joining several leagues in Thailand.
They brought home a silver and three bronze medals from the 2018 King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championships held in Nakhon Rachasima, Thailand where the toughest sepak performers from 31 countries suited up.
Caballero bared that they had tapped new athletes purely for exposure, but the team still came up with good results.
“With more games and tournaments coming up, they are really bound to improve in time for the SEA Games,” said Go, also the vice president for marketing of Powerball Marketing and Logistics Corporation, the company behind the Go For Gold project.
Seasoned players Rheyjey Ortouste, Ronsited Gabayeron, Emmanuel Escote led the men’s team along with Joshua Gleen Bullo, Alvin Pangan, John Carlo Lee and John John Bobier.
Joining the squad, also backed by Philippine Sports Commission, are John Jeffrey Morcillos, Joeart Jumawan, Nestleer Bandivas, Christian George Encabo and Regie Reznan Pabriga.