THE PHILIPPINE kickboxing team is tempering expectations when it makes its Southeast Asian Games debut during the 30th edition of the biennial meet which will open later this month.
Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan refused to give predictions but believes his eight-man Filipino squad is capable of delivering medals for the country.
“As much as we want to be confident, syempre we also want to be modest. Our assessment for the SEA Games is that everyone would be a medalist,” Chan said in a press conference.
He added: “We hope and pray each and every athlete would be successful in their respective categories. Doon muna tayo mas focus in promoting the sport as well as giving these athletes the break (they needed).”
Among the members of the team are Ilonggo Ruel Catalan (57 kg), Karol Maguide (51 kg), Jerry Olsim (69 kg), Rex De Lara (60 kg) Jomar Balaguid (54 kg), Jean Claude Saclag (63 kg), and the women duo of Renz Daquel (48 kg) and Gina Iniong (55 kg).
The team trained under the supervision of two-time Olympian Donald Geisler and Mark Sangiao of the celebrated Team Lakay.
Expected to give the Filipinos a run for the gold are regional power Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, and Vietnam.
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Having another import with the “Harris” surname at his disposal, NLEX Road Warriors head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao is hoping it will result to a championship in the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup.
The veteran mentor is hoping that former NBA player Manny Harris will be as effective as his former import Tony Harris, who gave Guiao his first ever PBA championship in 1992.
“Sana nga may suwerte sa mga Harris. Of course, he’s a totally different type of player than Tony,” said Guiao, who has seven PBA championships tucked under his belt.
So far so good. Manny Harris has managed to live up to the billing as he led the Road Warriors finish as the top seeded team going to the playoffs that starts today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In the six games he played since replacing Olu Ashaolu, Harris, the 30-year-old former Los Angeles Laker, averaged 32.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in helping the team clinch the No.1 seeding for the first time in franchise history.
“Of course, I’ve had memorable times with Tony (Harris). I just hope the same thing here, that we’ll have memorable times also with Manny,” said the NLEX coach./PN
