Squashers make SEAG history

MANILA, Philippines -  With four events left in the calendar, the Philippine national squash team has surpassed the country’s medal output in any of the nine previous stagings of the sport in the SEA Games as the eight-strong squad delivered a first-ever silver in women’s jumbo doubles and three bronzes in mixed doubles, women’s doubles and men’s jumbo doubles so far in Kuala Lumpur.

But it won’t be smooth sailing to bump up the harvest. This morning, the Philippines takes on Singapore in the men’s team event and host Malaysia in women’s team. Later tonight, the Philippines’ No. 1 male player and world No. 275 Robert Garcia battles the winner of the match between Thailand’s Arnold Phatraprasit and Indonesia’s Mohammad Nur Tastaftyan in the quarterfinals of men’s singles while the Philippines’ No. 1 female player and world No. 98 Myca Aribado faces the survivor of the match between Thailand’s Tuddaw Thamronglarp and Singapore’s Sherilyn Yang Huixian in the quarterfinals of women’s singles.

In the Singapore SEA Games two years ago, the Philippines brought back three bronze medals from squash in men’s team, men’s jumbo doubles and women’s singles. When squash was introduced to the SEA Games in 1991, the Philippines took three bronze medals in men’s singles, men’s team and women’s team. The Philippines had never won more than three medals in squash in the SEA Games until this year.

“We’re hoping to pick up a few more medals,” said Philippine Squash Academy secretary-general Vince Abad Santos, who’s in K. L. “Myca got a bronze in women’s singles in the last SEA Games so we’re confident she can do it again or improve. Robert is playing fantastic squash and we’re looking forward to his first singles match which if he wins, will bring him to the semifinals.”

Garcia and David Pelino came close to bagging a sure silver but lost an 11-7, 5-11, 11-8 heartbreaker to Singapore’s Samuel Kang and Vivian Rhamanan in the semifinals of men’s jumbo doubles last Wednesday. The thriller took 1 1/2 hours to finish. Garcia and Aribado also fell a win short of barging into the final of mixed doubles, bowing to Malaysia’s Sanjay Singh Chal and Sivasungari Subramaniam, 11-3, 12-10, in the semifinals. They previously bundled out Singapore’s Timothy Leong Yew Sing and Au Yeong Wai Yhann, 11-3, 11-7.

In the final of women’s jumbo doubles, Aribado and Aysah Dalida dropped an 11-5, 11-8 decision to Singapore’s Mao Shihui and Huixian. The Philippines led, 6-4, in the second set but couldn’t close it out. Abad Santos said the consolation was the Philippines took the silver despite no jumbo courts in the country.

“The crowd was amazed at our performance considering everyone knows we don’t have jumbo courts in the Philippines,” said Abad Santos. “We’re proud of what Myca and Aysah accomplished. It’s the first silver ever won by the Philippines in squash in the SEA Games so we made history.”

The Philippines got off to a hot start in squash with three straight wins last Monday. Pelino and Rafa Yam downed Myanmar’s Thukha Thant and Zin Maung Mang, 11-3, 11-2 in men’s doubles, Yam and Isabelle Gotuaco trounced Myanmar’s Naing Oo and Moe Moe Thae, 11-4, 11-8, in mixed doubles and Aribado and Dalida crushed Thailand’s Suvipa Kitvijam and Tuddaw, 11-4, 11-4 in women’s doubles.

Top-seeded Malaysia, however, doused the Philippines’ hopes in men’s doubles as Mohammad Farez Mukhtar and Ong Sai Hung defeated Garcia and MacMac Begornia, 11-2, 11-6 while Mohammad Kamal and Ng Eain Yow took out Pelino and Yam, 11-5, 11-5. Malaysia’s Chan Yiwen and Nezihan Hanis later drubbed Aribado and Dalida, 11-3, 11-5, in women’s doubles. 

Pelino and Garcia combined to beat Myanmar’s Naing Oo and Yan Naung Oo, 11-4, 11-3, in men’s jumbo doubles only to lose in the semifinals. Singapore’s Pang Ka Hoe and Shihui ended the medal dream of Yam and Gotuaco, 11-7, 11-7 in mixed doubles.

After three days of competition, the Philippines racked up a total of six wins and seven losses. There was no event where the Philippines failed to pick up a win, an indication of the team’s preparedness with coaches Valentino Bong and Jun Paganpan. The four events still to be played are singles and team for men and women.