[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’PH claims world sepak takraw championship to make history ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – The Philippine men’s doubles squad made history after capturing the gold medal in the Premier Division of the 31st King’s Cup World Sepak Takraw Championship on Friday night in Bangkok, Thailand.
Led by Jason Huerte, Rheyjey Ortuoste and Mark Gonzales, the country notched its first-ever world sepak takraw crown after a come-from-behind 12-21, 21-19, 21-17 win over SEA Games titlist Myanmar in the gold medal game.
Earlier in the day, the trio of Huerte, Ortuoste and Gonzales shocked the world with another come-from-behind 15-21, 22-20, 21-19 win over world No. 1 Thailand in the semifinals round.
The Philippine men’s doubles team also defeated Singapore, Australia, Chinese-Taipei, and Indonesia in the elimination round of the tournament sanctioned by International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF), the world governing body in the sport.
Philippine Sepak Takraw Association (PASTA) president Karen Tanchanco-Caballejo commended the effort of the Philippine men’s doubles squad, which placed second to Thailand last year.
“This is outcome of years of hard work for the team. This is all about them and how passionately they are to get the world respect for the Philippines in sepak takraw,” Caballejo said in an interview with Sports Radio 918 AM.
“Ang pangarap lang naman namin is we get the same amount of admiration and attention back home. We feel we need it more than the world validation na finally we are finally and legitimately one of the world’s best,” she added.
The country, however, failed to make it two in a row as the women’s squad placed second behind perennial champions Thailand. Vietnam, meanwhile, settled for a third place finish./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
