WITH her superb marksmanship skills, Baguio City's Kareel Meer Hongitan will try to shoot for the top plum as she joins the Philippine contingent set to challenge other international squads in the 2014 Seoul International Sports Festa slated August 3-9.
With a month left to prepare, the 16-year-old lady archer is seen as one of the top shots in the upcoming Korean tiff.
Archery coach and father John Hongitan said proper training will be the key for Kareel to be effective enough in the country’s quest for medal hunt.
"So far it will still depend on her training before the scheduled tournament, we know all her teammates posted in their respective areas are doing the very same firm drills and we just hope she will be a sustainable part of the group when it happens," John said.
According to the coach, ever since Kareel qualified as part of the team, she already pursued to improve her shooting skills.
"Regular lang ang training, from the actual shooting sa archery range up to the simple form shooting and other exercise and drills that would help her. I guess she just continues to focus for the international contest," John quipped.
"Hopefully the team will be effective enough to dominate or at least end up in the podium after the week long contest," the coach added.
Kareel, who is now playing for the University of Baguio Cardinals, will be joining seven other athletes from the national pool as the country sends one team for both boys and girls.
The BS Tourism student holds the number two spot in the female cadet division in the entire Philippines after the PANNA National Ranking and Evaluation Competitions held earlier in April.
Together with the young Hongitan, the Philippine women's team include top ranked Marie Crisha Merto from Dumaguete City, Manila based archer Bianca Gotauco, and Mary Ibañez from San Fernando, La Union.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Luis Moreno, NicJim Oliver, Michael Vincent Cabral, and Ryu Kawasaki will be competing for the men’s squad.