Asiad notes

Don’t panic

HANGZHOU – Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann said there’s no need to sound the alarm on Team Philippines, which has yet to strike gold after Day 6 of the competition here. He said it’s too early for that. “I’m still hoping,” Bachmann said. The gold has been elusive so far, even for skateboarder Margie Didal, who delivered one of the four golds in the 2018 edition. She came here nursing an ankle injury that required surgery 11 months ago, and finished eighth and last in her event last Wednesday. In 2018, the Philippines struck gold only after three days of competition through Hidilyn Diaz in women’s weightlifting. Also around that time, the Filipinos had four bronze medals on hand. No wonder that some people, six days into the Games, are set to push the panic button. “I’m looking at EJ Obiena (pole vault) and others who can pull off a surprise. You still have weightlifting. Hopefully, they can add,” Bachmann said. “Madami pa ‘yan.” That’s the spirit.

Whirlwind visit

HANGZHOU – Members of the PBA Board of Governors have thrown their full support to the Gilas campaign in the Asian Games here. In Thursday’s game against Thailand, nine of the 12 governors were at the Zhejiang University Gymnasium to catch the action and bring some luck to the difficult campaign. Those who flew in for a quick two-night stay were Erick Arejola of NorthPort, Raymond Zorrilla of Phoenix, Robert Non of San Miguel Beer, Rod Franco of NLEX, Silliman Sy of Blackwater and Atty. Bill Pamintuan of Meralco. Chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT, Alfrancis Chua of Ginebra and Bobby Rosales of Terrafirma arrived here with the team along with commissioner Willie Marcial. Missing the action were those from Magnolia, Rain or Shine and Converge. Vargas left for Manila the other day but will fly back on Oct. 2 just in time for the quarterfinals and, hopefully, the medal games – if and when Gilas gets that far. Those who arrived late returned to Manila yesterday. But they joined the team for dinner Thursday in a fine steak house here – courtesy of SMB big boss Ramon S. Ang, and coursed through Chua, the new Gilas team manager. “’Yun ang utos ni RSA. Steak dinner para sa lahat,” said Chua.

Passing the torch

HANGZHOU – By the entrance to the Main Media Center are well-guarded glass cabinets displaying the original torches that were used in each of the 19 stagings of the Asian Games. From the first edition in New Delhi, India in 1951 to this one being hosted by China for the third time. Filipino mediamen, of course, are focusing their attention on the gray metal object, no taller than two feet. It’s the actual torch used during the 1954 Asian Games in Manila. It was the first and only time the Philippines has hosted the event, then drawing only 970 athletes from 18 countries, with 77 gold medals in only eight sports. The opening ceremony for the Manila Asian Games took place on May 1, 1954 with a crowd of 20,000 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Malate, Manila. Then president Ramon Magsaysay declared the Games open. Athletes from the host country were last to enter the stadium for the parade with Andres Franco, the gold medalist in men’s high jump in New Delhi, carrying the Philippine flag. Listed as torch bearer was Enrique Beech, a footballer who twice represented the Philippines in the Asian Games as a shooter. Maybe his fingerprints are still on the torch on display here today.