Gilas Pilipinas Women sasabak sa FIBA World Cup

ni MC @Sports | August 20, 2024

Mapapalaban ang Gilas Women sa Brazil, Hungary at maging sa Senegal. (SBP pix)

Aaksiyon ang Gilas Pilipinas Women sa FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament sa  Kigali, Rwanda. Kauna-unahan ito sa   women’s national basketball team na sasabak sa labas ng FIBA Asia borders. 

Nasa ranked 40th ang Pilipinas, sa  women’s division ng FIBA at ka-grupo ang Brazil (8th), Hungary (16th), at Senegal (25th). Nakakuha ang Filipina ballers ng ticket sa Rwanda nang maka-sixth-place finish sa FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 sa Australia noong Hunyo. 

Heavy underdog ang Gilas women sa torneo bilang may lowest-ranked competitor sa labas ng host Rwanda pero ayon kay coach Patrick Aquino at sa buong team na habang pinag-iibayo nila ang performance mula sa inihandang programa, ibig sabihin positibo sila sa kanilang estado.

“Moving up the rankings means we’ll have to learn how to step outside our comfort zone,” ayon kay Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy. “Our Women’s Team has shown us they can be competitive in the region but there’s still a lot of work to be done to reach the next level." 

Ayon sa FIBA article, dalawang Pinay ballers ang dapat abangan sa hanay ng 8 teams - sina April Bernardino at Jack Animam. "Known for her athleticism and relentlessness to win, Afril is one of the best players I have seen in the country. Her constant will to learn and determination to work harder than anybody else has made her who she is now,” ani Aquino hinggil sa ace players. 

Haharapin ng Pilipinas ang Brazil sa August 19 ng 8pm. Kasunod ng  showdown kontra  Hungary sa August 20 ng 11pm. Paghahandaan din nila sa  group stage assignment ang  Senegal sa August 22 ng 5pm.

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.