MANILA, 19 September 2003 — Iraq and Cambodia will be fielding delegations to the 15th Asian Athletics Association (AAA) championships set tomorrow to Tuesday, Oct. 20-23 at the newly-refurbished Rizal track and field stadium. State Ismaeil, secretary general of the Iraqi amateur athletic federation, faxed a confirmation message to the organizing Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association thru Maurice Nicholas, permanent secretary treasurer.
Iraqi athletics president Dr. Taleb Faisal Alsaffar will head the contingent.
Patafa president Go Teng Kok was also elated to receive a fax message from Yem Oddom, secretary general of the Khmer Amateur Athletic Federation, confirming the participation of a small Cambodian team. Go is awaiting final word from Bhutan, a tiny virgin kingdom northeast of the Indian border, which also earlier notified meet organizers is sending a small complement.
Japan has outnumbered China with 91 athletes coaches and officials to the latter’s 70-man contingent. India is third largest with 70 followed by Qatar 69, Saudi Arabia, 58 and Sri Lanka 53.
Among the SEAG members, Thailand has the biggest delegation with 48, Singapore 36, Vietnam 25, Malaysia 21, Indonesia 14, Brunei 6, Laos 4, Cambodia and Myanmar 3.
Asian Moto Title in the Bag for Aguilar
Caltex-Revtex star rider Glenn Aguilar zeroed in on the 2003 FIM Asian Motocross Championship after a calculated, tactical ride at the Arenacross Circuit in Singapore recently. Aguilar, nicknamed “D’ Rocket” due to his speed and daring, finished only fifith. The Revtex team captain decided there was no use to attack using a borrowed bike in a dangerous, slippery and short course ruled by Thai rider Arnon Teplib.
Aguilar has been appointed by the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association to represent the Philippines in the 10-nation FIM Asian event.
Aguilar, who was asked by organizers to conduct a one-day motocross clinic for local enthusiasts, wowed the mammoth crowd in the freestyle competition that he ruled.
With his series-leading 81 points on the strength of his second, first, fourth and fifth place finishes in the first four legs of the event, Aguilar only needs to finish in the last leg to clinch Asia’s most prestigious motocross title.
Buhain Urges Athletes to Give Their Best
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain called on Southeast Asian Games-bound athletes to give their best shots and show their corporate supporters their outpouring of financial assistance would not go to waste.
“This support from private corporations is unprecedented, this has never happened before. The athletes should realize that they should hold on to it for the longest time. They have to stay focused and perform in Vietnam,” said Buhain.
He made the call in the light of some 18 corporations’ 22-million pesos contribution to the RP SEAG war chest. The amount was raised during a pledging session initiated by the First Gentleman’s Foundation last month. Expected to benefit from this are 85 athletes identified by the Philippine Olympic Committee and PSC as gold medal prospects in Vietnam.
PSC Iron Out Palaro Kinks
A decision on the final date of the of the much-delayed Palarong Pambansa in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, is not expected until after the hosts of the student Games and the Department of Education (DepEd) have carefully studied the program formulated by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
PSC chairman Eric Buhain met with Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo to present the program for the Palaro, which the commission intends to hold at about the same time as the Mindanao Games slated Oct. 19 to 24 in Mati, Davao Oriental.
Dimaporo and Mati Mayor Francisco Rabat are expected to decide on the PSC’s twin programs for both events by Tuesday, afterwhich, the PSC would refer the matter to the DepEd.
Hontiveros First Asian FIQ President
National bowling chief Steve Hontiveros has joined the elite rank of Filipinos to head a world-governing sports body after he was elected president of Federation International des Quilleurs unopposed during the FIQ Congress at the Sunway Lagoon Resort in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“It’s an honor to be given the chance to lead a prestigious organization like the FIQ. My election means our country is already being recognized in the sport,” said the 59-year-old Hontiveros.
Hontiveros was nominated from the floor and was elected by acclamation by the representatives of the 159 member-countries of the FIQ.
He takes over the post from retiring American Jerry Koenig of Colorado Springs and serves up to 2007.
Buenavista to Concentrate on Marathon
Long distance runner Eduardo Buenavista has made it clear he is using the 15th Asian Athletics Association championships as a jumping board to the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam in December.
A double gold medal winner in the Kuala Lumpur event two years ago, Buenavista recently competed in the World Championships in Paris, France, where he earned additional learning experience.
He clocked a slow time of 14:12 seconds in the 5,000-meters compared to his RP mark of 13:58 he set in the Busan Asian Games last year.
Assistant athletics coach Luisito Artiaga said the coaching staff headed by Isidro del Prado is planning to enter Buenavista in the 3,000-m steeplechase, 5,000-m and the 10,000 meters in Vietnam.
Athletics chief Go Teng Kok said he is leaving it up to the coaching staff to determine what’s best for Buenavista.
Team Lina Makes It to Cycling Board
Businessman Bert Lina and his running mates were elected, along with 10 others, to the board of the national federation of cycling, a development perceived as a shot in the arm Philippine cycling urgently needs.
Lina, chairman of Air21 that principally bankrolled the revival of the fabled Tour last summer, towed his team composed of back-to-back Tour champions Cornelio Padilla Jr. and Paquito Rivas, Arthur Cayabyab and Jun Lomibao to the 15-man board that will serve a term of four years.
Bronze Only for Table Tennis
Table Tennis Association of the Philippines president Victor Valbuena admitted the Philippines may only be good for a bronze medal in the coming Vietnam Southeast Asian Games, but expressed hope his athletes would do well in 2005 when the country gets to host the meet.
“We’re actually in search of younger players right now so in this year’s SEA Games, we may only be good for bronze but come 2005, we’ll fight for the gold,” said Valbuena.
Valbuena, only in his second year as president of national table tennis association, added national players like Richard Gonzales, Sendrina Balatbat, Arlene Borja and Jojo Almazan are deep in preparation for the SEA Games in the hope of pulling off some upsets.
Pinoy Age-Groupers Reign Supreme
After nearly two decades, the Philippines reclaimed its throne in the Southeast Asian Age Group swimming championships, winning the overall crown at the San Pablo City Swimming Center in Laguna.
And the RP tankers made sure they won’t let the widely-cheering hometown crowd disappointed.
A nine-gold haul in the third and final day capped by another record-breaking performance from Bonus Bordado, two gold medals from Luica Dacanay and a gold each from Marichi Gadionco and Lambert Guiriba triggered the Philippines’ campaign for a blistering finish.
Bordado, who established a new meet record in the boys’ 13-14 100-m freestyle, set a new mark anew, this time in the 200-M breaststroke.
