(NI JEAN MALANUM)

DUMATING na sa huling yugto ng training para sa 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) ang national team na kasalukuyang lumalaban sa 16th World Soft Tennis Championships sa Taizhou, Zheijang Province, China.

Mataas ang morale ng 11-member na koponan sa pangunguna nina Joseph Arcilla, Noel Damian Jr., Bien Zoleta-Mañalac at Princess Catindig dahil sa magandang performances nila sa mga nakaraang top-level tournaments.

Nanalo si Arcilla ng bronze medal sa men’s singles noong 2011 samantalang si Zoleta-Manalac ay nagwagi ng bronze sa women’s singles noong 2015.

Si Josephine Paguyo ang unang nakapagbigay ng bronze medal sa Pilipinas noong 1995.

Ayon kay Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, sinuportahan ng ahensiya ang national sports associations (NSAs) upang magkaroon ng mahusay na performance sa SEA Games.

“A strong showing is all we’re hoping for. We have identified the medal potentials among them. But we also expect surprises from some others,” ani Ramirez. Nagbabalik ang soft tennis sa SEA Games pagkatapos ng walong taon at umaasa ang Soft Tennis Association of the Philippines (PSTA) na pinamumunuan ni Col. Jeff Tamayo ng magandang resulta.

Sa likod nina Arcilla at Zoleta-Manalac ay nagkamit ng isang silver at limang bronze medals ang Pilipinas sa 2011 SEA Games na ginawa sa Palembang, Indonesia.

Ang iba pang kasapi ng national team ay sina Bambi Zoleta, Erdilyn Peralta, Mark Anthony Alcoseba, Mikoff Manduriao at Dheo Talatayod.

“The Philippine Sports Commission has given our soft tennis players international exposure such as the Korea Cup in Anseong, Taiwan Open, World Cup in China, our test event in Bulacan last month, were the Philippines won five bronze medals despite the presence of powerhouses Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei with Thailand and Indonesia. So we expect everybody to perform at a high level,” pahayag nina national coaches Divine Escala at Mike Enriquez.

“The target of three medals in three events in the SEA Games is very much doable,” dagdag ng dalawang coaches.

Sumungkit ng limang bronze medals sina Catindig at Alcoseba sa 1st Asian University Soft Tennis Championships at 1st Asian University Juniors Soft Tennis Championships na idinaos sa Colegio San Agustin indoor tennis court sa San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan noong nakaraang buwan.

Nakatatlong bronze si Catindig nang makarating sa semifinal round ng 21-under category sa Asian Juniors. Umabot din siya sa Final Four ng singles at team events sa Asian University.

Ang dalawang bronze medals ni Alcoseba galing sa singles and team events ng kumpetisyon na pinamahalaan ng PSTA katuwang ang Asian Soft Tennis Federation.