Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Butch: Team RP, lean but mean
By Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan
"TEAM Philippines is intact."
That's what Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman and Chef de Mission William "Butch" Ramirez told Sun.Star by phone Monday, adding, "We did not cut the original list of sports we are competing in."
Ramirez said close to 400 delegates of athletes, coaches and officials in 33 events will compose Team RP in the 15th Asian Games set in Doha, Qatar in December.
"We didn't have to reduce our number. The host country's concern was the limited accommodations they have for us. But we assured them that our delegation won't be in Doha all at the same time considering the varied schedule of competitions in each event," Ramirez said.
Team RP's 33 events include medal-rich athletics and swimming, baseball, table tennis, badminton, bowling, cycling, rowing, cue sports, tennis, sailing, taekwondo, athletics, triathlon, wrestling, bodybuilding, archery, fencing, diving, canoe/kayak, squash, equestrian, wushu, karate, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, gymnastics, judo, sepak takraw, shooting, soft tennis and weightlifting.
The baseball team, which include Dabawenyos Edmer del Socorro and Ruel Batuto, and the table tennis team will be the first to leave for Doha on Nov. 26.
The rest of the delegation will leave by batches on Nov. 29, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to 9.
Meanwhile, Ramirez said the torch relay team from Busan Korea led by His Excellency Sheik Joaan Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, son of the Emir -- His Highness Sheikh Hamed Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the honorary representative to the Doha Asian Games 2006 Torch Relay, was set to arrive as of this posting.
Arriving with him were Qatar Equestrian Federation president Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Al-Thani and Qatar Gold Federation president Hassan Nasser Al Naomi, Ceremonies and Cultural Events Director Sharif Hachico and Media and Public Relations head Katrina Michelle de Jersey.
The PSC chief said a media tour and press conference is set today while a cauldron display at SM Mall of Asia and welcome dinner at the Coconut Palace hosted by PSC are in the itinerary on Wednesday.
The Torch Relay Philippine Segment, however, will be on Thursday to be highlighted by a lighting of the flame, torch run kick-off and presentation of tokens while the send-off is on Friday.
Japan is the next stop of the torch relay team.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (October 17, 2006 issue)
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