Squashers post biggest upset

The eight-strong Philippine squash squad created the biggest stir in the SEA Games with its upset of heavily favored Malaysia in the men’s team event and came home yesterday with a record haul of two silvers and six bronzes.

Philippine Squash Academy (PSA) president Bob Bachmann set a goal of two gold medals but fell short of hitting paydirt. Still, it was the richest harvest by a Philippine contingent since the sport was introduced in the SEA Games in 1991. Bachmann credited the four men and four women for their sacrifice, hard work and dedication against all odds.

“We were hoping to get gold medals in men’s and women’s jumbo even if we don’t have jumbo courts in the Philippines,” said Bachmann. “We trained abroad on jumbo courts which are longer and wider than the singles courts. We also don’t have doubles courts in the Philippines. Malaysia and Singapore are way ahead in the development of their squash program. A Malaysian, Nicol David, was the world women’s champion for 10 years. But we’re making inroads. Nobody expected our players to achieve what they did. In SEA Games history, the Philippines had never taken a silver and never won more than three bronze medals at a time. What the players accomplished in Kuala Lumpur wasn’t just incredible but also historic.”

Bachmann said by the end of the year, two public singles courts which are adjustable to a doubles court will be inaugurated at the Rizal Sports Complex with the PSC’s support. A long-term plan is to build a squash center with eight singles courts, adjustable to doubles and a jumbo court.

In K. L., host Malaysia’s attempt to bag the gold in seven events was thwarted by the Philippines in the men’s team competition. The Philippines wasn’t expected to hurdle Malaysia in the semifinals but the country’s No. 1 squasher Robert Garcia stunned the SEA Games top seed Ng Eain Yow, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 and 18-year-old Rafa Yam upended Darren Pragasam, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8. The third or rubber match was scratched since it was inconsequential. In the final last Tuesday, Singapore outlasted the Philippines, two matches to one, as Garcia disposed of Benedict Chan, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9 but MacMac Begornia fell to Pang Ka Hoe, 11-1, 11-3, 11-6 and David Pelino lost to Samuel Kang, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5.

In the men’s singles semifinals last Sunday, Ng beat Garcia, 11-5, 13-11, 11-6 so the win in the team event was vengeful. The Philippines’ two silvers came from men’s team (Garcia, Begornia, Pelino, Yam) and women’s jumbo (Myca Aribado, Aysah Dalida). The six bronzes were from mixed doubles (Garcia, Aribado), women’s doubles (Aribado, Dalida), men’s jumbo (Garcia, Pelino), men’s singles (Garcia), women’s singles (Aribado) and women’s team (Aribado, Dalida, Izzy Gotuaco, Joan Aribado).  The Philippines scored wins in every event and didn’t bag a medal only in men’s doubles.

 Malaysia topped the squash standings with six golds, four silvers and two bronzes while Singapore placed second with three golds, two silvers and five bronzes. The Philippines was third and Indonesia landed fourth with a silver and three bronzes. Thailand wound up fifth with two bronzes. Myanmar failed to medal.