15 MARCH 2019

18 sports
Friday, 15 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Thai bags Southwoods crown
I don’t know what to say. I have mixed emotions at this point but I’m
definitely feeling good
Thanutra Boonraksasat pulled through
in a high-noon duel of wits with Princess
Superal, wresting control late then surviving
a wobbly finish to hack out a one-stroke
victory in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods
Ladies Championship at the Legends course
in Carmona, Cavite yesterday.
Boonraksasat hit a clutch birdie on No. 13
to take charge and went 2-up on Superal’s
bogey on the next then held on to victory
despite a bogey-bogey finish for a 69 as the
Filipina shotmaker likewise holed out with
a bogey for a 71.
The Thai finished with a 13-under 203 total
worth P350,000, joining the growing list of
winners from the country’s perennial regional
rivals, who have dominated the Ladies
Federer, Nadal
advance
He didn’t have the best start, so that cost him the
first set
Philippine Golf Circuit with six victories out
of 11 tournaments last year.
“I don’t know what to say. I have mixed
emotions at this point but I’m definitely
feeling good,” said Boonraksasat, whose
thrilling victory likewise snapped a five-year
title spell for the 28-year-old Bangkok native.
It was a sorry setback for Superal,
who had led in the first two rounds,
including a solid 64 in the first day.
She dumped her approach shot into the
left bunker on par-4 No. 18 and ended with a
5 but Superal also found the rightside trap off
a 9-iron approach shot and missed a 16-footer
for a crack at a playoff.
“I was left with 111 yards but the ball was
in a tough lie. It’s just too bad that breaks
didn’t go my way in the end,” Superal said.
It was a sorry setback for Superal, who
had led in the first two rounds, including a
solid 64 in the first day. She held on two a
one-stroke by matching Boonraksasat’s 34
start but flubbed a couple of birdie putts at
the back, enabling the Thai to storm ahead
with birdies on Nos. 10 and 13.
Superal wound up with a 204, which
Chihiro Ikeda matched on a sizzling 66. Four
down off Boonraksasat after 36 holes, the
FIl-Japanese moved within two with three
straight birdies form 13 but missed her
chances in the last three and settled for joint
second. Each received P155,000.
Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, the last Thai to
win at Pradera Verde last December, shot
a second 69 to end up fourth at 205 with
compatriot Chonalda Chayanun playing fifth
at 206 after a 71.
THANUTRA Boonraksasat gets a triumphant douse from her rivals in the
LPGT Southwoods event.
SEAG cage venue
downgraded
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Former champions Roger Federer and
Rafael Nadal edged closer to a blockbuster semi-final showdown at the
ATP Indian Wells Masters on Wednesday with brisk fourth-round wins.
World number two Nadal overpowered Serbian qualifier Filip
Krajinovic 6-3, 6-4 to book his quarter-final berth in one hour and 26
minutes.
Federer, seeking a record sixth title in the California desert, needed
just 64 minutes to get past Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6-1, 6-4.
Nadal said his performance on a windy stadium court wasn’t as
good as his 6-3, 6-1 third-round win over Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
But he was more than a match for 113th-ranked Krajinovic,
breaking him early in each set and saving the only break point he
faced.
Nadal, who lifted the Indian Wells trophy in 2007, 2008 and 2013,
is in the last eight for the first time in three years after missing last
ROGER Federer’s happy with the win.
year’s edition, skipping both Indian Wells and the Miami Masters
with a hip injury.
He next will take on 13th-ranked Russian Karen Khachanov, who
beat world number nine John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (7/1).
Khachanov produced just one ace to the big-serving American’s
12 but stretched his record over Isner to 4-0.
Fourth-seeded Federer, fresh off his 100th career title, looked
poised to finish off Edmund in less than an hour.
But the Swiss great had to fight off three break points as he
served for the match, just a small speed bump in a match that he
took charge of early.
Nadal said his performance on a windy stadium court
wasn’t as good as his 6-3, 6-1 third-round win over
Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
“He didn’t have the best start, so that cost him the first set,”
Federer said. “Second set, it was definitely better. I think he probably
struggled throughout a little bit. He never really got going.
“Conditions are tough with the glare, and the jump of the ball it’s
sometimes hard to find the rhythm and timing.”
Federer will fight for a semi-final berth against 22-year-old Pole
Hubert Hurkacz.
Hurkacz, ranked 67th in the world, sent 25th-ranked Canadian
Denis Shapovalov packing 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3.
Although he’ll be an overwhelming favorite against Hurkacz, Federer
said he wouldn’t take a semi-final meeting with Nadal for granted.
“I hope I can get there,” Federer said, “but I’m not going to
underestimate Hubert.”
A day after world number one Novak Djokovic tumbled out of
the third round, 19-year-old Miomir Kecmanovic kept the Serbian
flag flying.
Kecmanovic became the first lucky loser to reach the last eight at
Indian Wells since the ATP’s Masters 1000 series launched in 1990. AFP
AFP
Venues in Manila like Smart Araneta and MOA
Arena are not easy to reserve
By Julius Manicad
The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee
(Phisgoc) moved the basketball events of the 30th SEA Games from Mall
of Asia Arena to the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Phisgoc chief operating officer Ramon Suzara admitted difficulty in
booking both the Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum. And
so, the Phisgoc settled for a “backup” venue.
Located at the heart of San Juan City, Filoil Flying V Center can only
accommodate 5,500 spectators, way smaller than the 20,000-seater Mall
of Asia Arena in Pasay City and Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
It is often used as venue for various volleyball tournaments like
the Philippine Superliga (PSL), University Athletic Association of the
Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA).
On the other hand, basketball, especially the Philippine Basketball
Association (PBA), is often being played in bigger venues like the Mall of
Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Venues in Manila like Smart Araneta and MOA Arena are hard to
reserve because bookings (have been) made (a) long time ago,” said
Suzara.
Suzara also said the gymnastics events will be held at the Rizal
Kendra Dahlke shone anew, delivering the clutch hits that towed
PLDT Home Fibr past struggling Foton, 25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 26-24,
yesterday in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix yesterday at the Filoil
Flying V Centre.
After erupting for 30 points in their
last game, Dahlke remained hot as she
scored five points in the 6-2 blast that
brought the Power Hitters to match
point, 24-20, in the fourth set of this
prestigious women’s club league
broadcasted by ESPN5 and 5Plus.
Foton imports Milagros Collar
and Courtney Felinski tried to keep
their heads afloat with back-to-back
hits, 24-24, but Dahlke converted
a beautiful drop shot to seal the
victory in this tourney that also has
My last SEA Games were the 1993 edition in
Singapore.
It was also my last year in the sport before
I retired.
I had already won 14 gold medals for the
country at this point and this was my fifth and
final SEA Games.
That year was the most difficult and most
revealing of all my 15 years of competitive
swimming. That was when I had a glimpse of
how my life was going to be soon after the games
were over.
Let me begin by sharing what happened a
year before. The 1992 Olympics just ended and
when I flew back home from Barcelona, I was disappointed about my
performance.
I was only 2 seconds off the gold medal time in the 100 meters
breaststroke and the swimmer who won was an American named Nelson
Diebel, whom I swam against a few months before. I lost to him by a few
tenths of a second then.
I was so puzzled by how much he improved from when we swam
against each other to his gold medal winning time and I thought hard
about what mistakes I made during the last phase of my preparations.
Anyway, I decided that I cannot dwell too much on what had already
transpired and looked forward to the next big competition which was
the 1993 SEA Games.
I was training for a few months with a former teammate in “Kuya”
Joey Andaya — a former 1500-m freestyle SEA Games medalist. He was
tasked to build my endurance and also for the National tryouts.
After two months, I swam the 100-m butterfly and the 100-m
breaststroke and easily qualified for the SEA Games. At this point I
expected to be part of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) roster to
receive support as a national athlete preparing for the games.
After a week I checked my name and was shocked to be informed that
my name was scratched out of the list. I inquired and was told that the
order came from the Chief of Staff of then PSC chairman Aparicio Mequi.
I was furious about the unfair treatment as I worked very hard to qualify
in two events.
Memorial Coliseum and Rizal Memorial badminton hall in Manila after an
initial booking at SMX Convention Center.
“So now, as an update, basketball will now be at Filoil Arena and
gymnastics will be at Rizal Coliseum and we’re also going to use the badminton
area for gymnastics.”
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has hinted at deploying PBA
players to the SEA Games.
This makes the Filoil Flying V Centre too small to accommodate the
spectators to the men’s basketball event.
A source from the SBP said he suspects the Phisgoc was not able to book
the venues on time.
“Maybe (it was) late in booking (for the venues),” the Daily Tribune
source said.
Prior to the latest announcement, the Phisgoc revealed that indoor
volleyball events will be held at the Philsports Arena; beach volleyball
in Subic; polo in Calatagan, Batangas; billiards at the Manila Hotel while
majority of the sports will be at the New Clark City Sports Complex in
Capas, Tarlac.
Suzara admitted some delays, especially with the P5-billion budget yet to
be released. But he said they are working hard to address the needs of all 56
sports that will be played in the biggest, grandest SEA Games ever.
“There’s still a lot to process. Venue and competition managers still have
to prepare plans and technical requirements. There will also be some testing
of some venues like lighting, toilets and other things,” he said.
“Despite all these delays, we will continue to move forward and make sure
that everything is ready and confirmed so we can proceed with the overlaying
design of the venues,” Suzara added.
PLDT rings loud over Foton
I checked my name and was shocked to be informed
that my name was scratched out of the list
KENDRA Dahlke misses saving the ball during her Philippine
Superliga action yesterday.
ROMAN PROSPERO
Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, UCPB
Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo and Data Project as technical sponsors.
Grace Lazard led the way with 25 points off 16 kills, six aces,
three blocks with 11 digs while Dahlke
chipped in 18 hits. Sasa Devanadera and
Aiko Urdas also delivered significant
numbers, adding 12 and 11 markers,
respectively, for the Power Hitters, who
climbed to No. 4 with a 5-4 win-loss slate.
But PLDT coach Roger Gorayeb was
far from satisfied, especially in the fourth
set when the Tornadoes gave them a
serious scare.
“We were leading by four, 24-20, but
My Last SEA Games
One Stroke At a Time
Eric Buhain
the service error of Grace allowed them to
come back,” said Gorayeb, heaving a sigh
of relief after his wards restored order.
I called for a media conference right away but a
PSC messenger rushed to inform me that my name was
placed back in the list.
I went back in training. But I was under the
microscope since then. I got heckled, with them saying
I was no longer capable of winning a gold medal. This
happened for weeks at a time.
Some colleagues from other sports also asked if
we could organize against the PSC administration for
violations, which ranged from physical abuse to mulcting
and other more serious offenses. I acceded to the call.
I became the President of the Athlete’s Union and we
organized a march to the Malacañang Palace with the
hope of talking to then President Fidel Ramos.
All 800 athletes and coaches joined us and when we reached the
gates of Malacañang, by some stroke of luck the President was to enter
the same gate where we picketed.
He rolled down his window and waved us in. Once inside, he requested
10 of us to sit down with him. President Ramos, being an athlete himself,
listened and understood our plight and called for an immediate hearing
and investigation on the matters we brought before him.
After a month of these hearings in Malacañang and with the kind
help of human rights lawyer and former Senator Renato Saguisag, the
President changed the members of the entire PSC Board.
We will forever be thankful to President Ramos for giving more weight
to the plight of the Filipino athletes at that time.
But after the hearings, the external pressure and heckling mounted
and I had to ask for a change in training venue.
By this time, my former coach Carlos “Pinky” Brosas was now based in
Bacolod City and I asked him if he could train me away from the judging
eyes of my critics.
I packed up my gear and literally moved my training camp to
Bacolod. I rented a house there and the people of the city welcomed
me with open arms and even protected me from my critics by keeping
my location secret.
But after several months, I tore my groin muscles. It was devastating
but I had to get the best therapists and heal fast. The best doctors at that
time were in the University of the Philippines in Diliman. For a few weeks
I flew to UP from Bacolod and all this time I wasn’t allowed to use my legs.
I was given the go-signal to start moving my legs after two months.
At this point the SEA Games were now only a few months away.
(Continued next Friday)