Aerobics in early buildup for 2005 SEAG

Hanoi (Via Globe Telecom) — The Philippines was in a hurry this year to assemble a sports aerobics team for the Southeast Asian Games and lost to Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, which had been in to the sport during the last five years.

"We formed a team only last April, then we had a coach who did the choreography last August," said Jay Beren, who coaches a lean team of four men and three women for the sport which was introduced in the SEA Games for the first time.

As the scores in the four events of sports aerobics showed, the Philippines is far behind Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, although Beren said he has high hopes his team can acquire the artistry and technical skills to be competitive in the 2005 SEA Games in Manila.

Vinia Pamplona (10.30) and Lizette Duco (8.55) were at the bottom among nine competitors in the singles women won by Vietnamese Trinh Hong Thanh (15.150), Vietnamese Mai Bich Lam (14.9) and Indonesian Ingrid Widyati (14.7).

In the men’s singles, Liwliwa Peralta had 9.1 and Feire 8.95, were at ninth-10th places behind Lod of Indonesia (16.45), Nguyen Than Huy of Vietnam (14.95) and Tan Minh Khoi of Vietnam (14.8).

In the trios, the team of Marlon Capati, Peralta and Pamplona was fourth and last with 7.5780 points, way below Vietnam (14.180), Thailand (13.000) and Indoensia (11.000)

The Philippines made a good showing in the mixed doubles where the pair of Brian Peralta and Jillane Roy got a bronze with 9.950 behind Vietnam’s 13.350 and Indonesia’s 12.9000.