Monday, December 31, 2007 Divers to train in China
FIVE members of the Philippine diving team, who are all from Davao City, will fly to China early next year to begin their six-month training and preparation for the last Olympic qualifying event.
Sheila Mae Perez, the 24th Thailand Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) gold medal winner, is leading the team that is set to leave Jan. 3 for the Sian City in Shanzi.
The 22-year-old Perez will be joined by Jaime Asok, Niño Carog, Ryan Rexel Fabriga, and Zardo Domenios. Accompanying the divers are Lourence Iporong and Chinese mentor Zhang Desu.
Perez, who also won a silver in the Thailand meet, is gunning for another Olympics stint after first competing in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The divers will train for six weeks before plunging into action for a berth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the World Cup of diving in February.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez earlier told Davao City sportswriters that they hope to qualify in diving when the world's greatest sports spectacle gets going in August next year.
Ramirez said they have already allocated budget for the foreign training of Filipino athletes, including members of the national diving team.
