Espejo, Bagunas bring act overseas

MANILA, Philippines — With an ego-boosting stint in the just-concluded 30th Southeast Asian  Games, Marck Espejo is determined to reach new heights when he flies to Thailand to see action for a local  club.

The five-time MVP in the UAAP left home over the weekend to join the training camp of the Visakha volleyball club. It will be his tour of duty overseas.

“Thank you, Philippines. On to the next,” said the ex-Ateneo stalwart after landing in Bangkok yesterday.

It was no accident that Espejo gained the nod of the Thai club right after the biennial meet where he perfectly teamed up with another Filipino ace spiker, Bryan Bagunas, leading to a historic Philippines’ upset win over powerhouse Thailand.

With Espejo and Bagunas at the helm, the Filipinos did the unthinkable, and pulled the rug from under the SEA Games champion in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 with a thrilling five-set semifinals win for its first finals stint in the 11-nation event in 42 years.

The Filipino spikers bowed to eventual champion Indonesia in the finale. But their silver-medal finish glittered like gold and definitely added fuel to Espejo’s confidence as he pursues a second stint abroad.

In Visakha, the 22-year-old Espejo will join Brazilian star Kaio Fabio Alves Rocha.

Espejo and the rest of the Visakha squad have over a month to train and bond before starting their campaign against Bangkok on Jan. 19.

Bagunas also left for Japan last week to rejoin mother club Oita Miyoshi, which was Espejo’s first overseas team.