HANGZHOU, China — The Philippine Olympic Committee fell short in its bid of making last-minute changes in the lineup of Team Philippines in the 19th Asian Games here.
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino admitted that they failed to replace the rosters of the national fencing and golf squads while the fate of the men’s basketball team remains hanging.
Tolentino refused to name names but reports have it that the POC failed to replace Chanelle Avaricio and Princess Superal, who both begged off as they are set to compete in a crucial international event.
With Avaricio and Superal out, the National Golf Association of the Philippines has no choice but to field only two players — Lois Kaye Go and Rianne Malixi — in the team event.
Go is a gold medalist in the previous edition of the Games in Jakarta in 2018 while Malixi is currently at No. 77 in the World Amateur Rankings and has reached the finals of the US Girls Junior Championships.
Go was joined in 2018 by Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan.
The men’s team, however, remains unchanged with Clyde Mondilla and Ira Alido joining amateur golfers Aidric Chan and Carl Corpuz.
“The appeals of golf and fencing have been denied,” Tolentino told a group of Manila-based sportswriters that just arrived in this bustling metropolis on Wednesday afternoon.
“But rest assured that our athletes will keep on fighting.”
Meanwhile, organizers have yet to decide on the fate of Gilas Pilipinas.
After denying the inclusion of Calvin Abueva and Jason Perkins as replacements for injured Jamie Malonzo and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser as well as Moala Tautaa and Terrence Romeo, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas replaced them with Kevin Alas, Arvin Tolentino, CJ Perez and Chris Ross.
Marcio Lassiter was also inserted in the roster as replacement for the injured Roger Pogoy.
Tolentino, however, stressed that their appeal remains hanging with barely five days before the men’s basketball event of the Asian Games unwraps on 26 September.
