Hongitan looking to bounce back in 2015 WAC

DESPITE failing to impress in the recently concluded 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, archer Kareel Meer Hongitan is eyeing a better performance in her next international outing in Denmark.

The University of Baguio Cardinal is on her quest to get back on track before she claims her fourth international outing this year in Copenhagen next month.

"Hopefully mag-start ulit ako to train in order to get my tempo and set arrows right as I re-join my teammates in this Denmark tournament," Kareel told Sun.Star Baguio.

The recently turned 18-year-old athlete is part of the Philippine delegation in the women’s recurve for the 2015 World Archery Championships.

“Experience teaches us well, whatever disappointment the SEA Games would have placed on us will surely be our basis on how to recover as the world cup nears its competition date,” Kareel added.

In the recent SEAG, the Philippines landed fourth overall in women’s recurve with 1,829 points, eight markers behind the third place and home-playing Singaporean team with 1,837 as Indonesia and Vietnam copped the first and second spots with 1,910 and 1,904, respectively.

Earlier, Kareel managed to rank number 12 in the individual qualification rounds with her score of 612 but went off with her shooting the following day as she faced Malaysian Shin Hui Loke, 0-6, in the individual qualifications.

“I will really need to get myself in shape for the world cup, I guess during the SEA Games pababa na ang peak ng laro ko after weeks of rigid training,” Kareel said.

The BS Tourism student was recruited in the national pool this year after qualifying a slot in the national rankings the Philippine Archers National Network and Alliance Inc. (PANNA) held earlier in January.

She is currently ranked the second best female archer (recurve) in the behind teammate and 2012 London Olympian Rachelle Ann Cabral-dela Cruz, and over Youth Olympic Games participant and US Open gold medallist Bianca Gotuaco, and Philippine National Games gold medallist Crizabelle Merto.

Meanwhile Kareel’s father John, an archery coach himself, said he is still optimistic his daughter will put up a better showing in the world cup.

“Kailangan lang i-refresh yung mind set ni Kareel, masyado lang siguro siya na-stress sa training for the national team,” said John, who added Kareel’s performance in the 2015 Archery World Cup-Stage 1 last May was better than the Singaporean tilt.

In the AWC-Stage 1, the Baguio archer managed to land a decent ninth overall among 107 competitors and even surprised spectators as she outshoot a Russian Olympian and 2011 World Cup champion Inna Stepannova in round 32 of the tournament.

“As for the mean time we want her to take it lightly, siguro gawin natin ulit na abutin yung peak ng performance niya when she will already be competing in Denmark,” John ended.

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