Sports

LVPI to field teams in the Asian Games

March 15, 2018 | 1:33pm

The Philippine national women's volleyball team swept host country Malaysia, 25-18, 25-11, 25-16, to start on a high note their 2017 Southeast Asian Games campaign. | Jun Mendoza

MANILA, Philippines — Don’t be surprised if the national women’s volleyball team makes it to the 18th Asian Games set in Jakarta from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2.

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) vice president Peter Cayco confirmed that he reached out to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas to signify his intention to send the men’s and women’s volleyball teams to the prestigious continental tourney.

Cayco said he is very optimistic, especially over the chances of the women’s squad that is showing some traces of improvement in the international arena.

The women’s squad has what it takes to come up with a strong performance in the Asian Games.

Last year, it underwent a 17-day training in Japan before plunging into the Asian Senior Women’s Championship in Laguna and the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Bannered by Mika Reyes with Jovelyn Gonzaga, Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago and Kim Fajardo, the squad finished eighth in the Asian Seniors, giving it a ticket to the AVC Asian Women’s Volleyball Cup that will be held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from Sept. 17 to 23.

Unfortunately, it missed its bronze-medal target and finished fourth in the Asian Games.

Still, it was a result that has a lot of promises.

The last time the women’s team competed in the Asian Games was in 1982 in New Delhi while the men’s team last saw action in 1974 in Tehran.

“It’s been a while,” said Cayco, who sent his letter of appeal to Vargas last Wednesday. “Our volleyball teams are on the rise. We just have to be patient and invest on their exposure and they will surely repay us with good results in the international arena.”

LVPI has yet to formally confirm if the women’s team will have a new head coach or revamp the previous squad to include other prominent talents like MJ Philips, Dindin Manabat and Marivic Meneses, but Cayco said it won’t be a major problem.

“Almost all of them are playing in the club leagues. So if ever the POC grants our inclusion to the Asian Games, I’m confident that our women’s team will be in good shape,” he said.

This early, chances of making it to the Asian Games appear sunny.

Robert Bachmann, the deputy chief of mission to the Asian Games, confirmed that the women’s volleyball team was included in their entry by number submitted to the organizers last Friday.

Also included in the entry form were athletes from team sports like women’s basketball and women’s football as well as golf, which is consists of four males and three female competitors.

“But it doesn’t mean that their inclusion is already final,” said Bachmann, adding that the submission of the final entries will be in May.

“They still have to reach out and justify their inclusion before the chief of mission (Richard Gomez) and the POC executive council.”

Cayco vowed that he’s ready to fight for his teams’ inclusion.

“We haven’t sent a team to the Asian Games for quite a while so we will do our best to come up with a very good justification to Mr. Vargas and his executive council,” said Cayco.

“We’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.”