Alas Pilipinas Men gaganahan sa FIVB Worlds dahil sa bronze medal

ni MC @Sports | August 20, 2024

Ang Alas Pilipinas men kasama sina Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann at Philippine National Volleyball Federation officials led by president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, secretary-general Donaldo Caringal, chairman Dr. Arnel Hajan, vice president Ricky Palou at directors Tonyboy Liao, Yul Benosa at Karl Jeffrey Chan II nang mag-bronze medal sa SEA V. League sa Ninoy Aquino Stadium noong Linggo. Photo: pnvfpix

Isang makasaysayang bronze medal at dalawang individual awards  ang nagbigay ng inspirasyon at lakas para sa Alas Pilipinas para sa isang taon na preparasyon ng koponan sa idaraos na solo hosting ng  prestigious FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship sa 2025.

Ibinuhos ng Alas Pilipinas ang tapang para masungkit ang unang  bronze medal sa Men’s Southeast Asia V. League first leg nitong Sabado ng gabi at umangat ang kabayanihan ng team.

Dahil sa injured sina Bryan Bagunas at Marck Espejo, sumandala ang Alas kina Kim Malabunga at Buds Buddin para masungkit ang podium finish at tuluyang anihin sa huli ang bunga ng pagsisikap. 

Itinanghal si Malabunga bilang  Second Best Middle Blocker habang ang batang si Buddin, National University varsity ang Second Best Outside Spiker honor.

Higit pa riyan, ang tatag sa kasaysayang mataos ang magkasunod na 4th place finish ang nagpahamon kay Italian head coach AngiolinoFrigoni sa kanyang  debut tournament sa Pilipinas. 

“It’s a bronze medal. It's better to start with a bronze medal than start without a medal,” ayon sa natutuwang coach na unang sumalang sa Olympics kasama ang Italy women’s team. “But for me, we are just starting, we only played in this competition this year,” 

Nitong Hulyo lamang naswak si Frigoni bilang coach bunga ng pasadong credential na ipinasa ng Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) ni President Ramon “Tats” Suzara. 

Si Kissada Nilsawai ang itinanghal na Most Valuable Player ng first leg nang maipanalo lahat ng laro.  Si Hendra Kurniawan ang First Best Middle Blocker, DioZulfikri -(Best Setter) ng silver medalist Indonesia, Thailand’s NapadetBhinijdee (First Best Outside Spiker) at TanapatCharoensuk (Best Libero) maging si Vietnam’s Pham Van Hiep (Best Opposite Spiker) ang kumumpleto sa mythical team. 

Coleman naka-gold sa PAI 50-M National Trials

ni MC / Clyde Mariano @Sports | August 17, 2024

Photo: Circulations / FB

Tulad ng inaasahan, maagang nagparamdan ang mga Filipino-foreign swimmers sa pangunguna ni Filipino-American Riannah Chantelle Coleman sa pagsisimula ng Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) 50-meter (long course) National Sports Trials nitong Huwebes sa Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool sa Malate, Manila.

Nalagpasan ng 15-anyos na si Coleman, isang regular na campaigner sa local swimming circuit, ang 33.98 segundo Southeast Asian Age Group Qualifying Standard Time (QTS) para sa mga batang babae 14-15 50-meter breaststroke sa impresibong 33.96 para makamit ang gold medal. Tinalo ng protegee ni coach Dax Halili sina Krystal Ava David (34.69) at Jamaica Enriquez ng Pangasinan (35.62) sa event na suportado ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

"It feels so amazing because I sacrifice so much for this moment. I woke up at 2am everyday to practice before going to school, there’s so much pressure on me but surprisingly I made it and I am so very happy with the results,” sambit ni Coleman, isang athletic scholar sa government-run National Academy of Sports sa Capas, Tarlac. “I was excited when I saw the name of Ate Kayla (Sanchez) in the starting list. I said to myself, wow I’m going to swim off with the Olympian medalist, but unfortunately her name was scratched at last minute, Sayang!,"panghihinayang ni Coleman sa nasayang na panahong makasabayan niya ang Fil-Canadian Olympian na bahagi ng heat 12 of 13 Finals sa naturang event.

Ayon kay PAI Secretary General Eric Buhain, ang Trials ang gagamitin bilang proseso ng pagpili ng mga miyembro ng National training pool na kakatawan sa bansa sa nakatakdang international competition ngayong taon hanggang sa unang dalawang quarter ng 2025.

House of POC iginiit para sa PHL Olympians

ni MC / Clyde Mariano @Sports | August 17, 2024

Photo: Phillipine Olympic Commitee

Isa sa pinakamagandang paraan upang manatiling buhay at makasaysayan ang achievements ng Filipino athletes hindi lamang iyong magandang performance sa dalawang Summer Olympics ay ang magkaroon ng sports museum sa loob ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) headquarters.

“We’ve participated in the Olympics for a century, but up to now, the POC still needs to have its own home,” saad ni POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino sa The Agenda media forum na host si Siegfred Mison sa Club Filipino sa San Juan kahapon.

“My vision about the House of POC includes a museum where the memorabilia of our great athletes, including those of Caloy [Carlos Yulo] and Hidilyn [Diaz-Naranjo], could be viewed by Filipinos,” aniya.

Sinimulan ni Tolentino ang adbokasiya ng House of POC makaraang magwagi si weightlifter Diaz-Naranjo ng kauna-unahang Olympic gold medal sa Tokyo 2020 (2021) habang naka-silvers sina boxers Nesthy Petecio at Carlo Paalam at bronze si Eumir Felix Marcial.

Aniya ang proyektong request niya sa Malacañang ay sa Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex ibase. “It would be ideal for the House of POC to be close to the airport for accessibility of foreign sports dignitaries who will come for official functions or for a visit,” aniya.

Hiniling na rin niya ito kay President Ferdinand R. Marcos sa kanilang welcome dinner sa Filipino Olympians mula sa Paris kasama si double gold medalist gymnast Carlos Yulo noong Martes sa Malacañang. “The President was receptive to the proposal and I’m hopeful our vision would be realized this time,” aniya.

Ang POC sa hinaba-haba ng panahon, nagsimulang lumahok ang bansa sa Olympics noong 1924 sa Paris, walang sariling permanenteng opisina o headquarters. “Timor Leste, the smallest among Southeast Asian countries, in fact, has a national Olympic committee headquarters complete with all amenities … the works.”

Aniya ito ay may museum, multi-purpose hall, office rooms, gym at maging laboratoryo.

May maliit na opisina ang POC sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex ng ilang dekada bago inilipat sa PhilSports Complex (dating Ultra) na kontrolado ng Department of Education.