CEBUANA volleyball star Cherry Ann “Sisi” Rondina weathered fatigue and a minor knee injury to help the Alas Pilipinas vanquish Australia 25-23, 25-15, 25-7, and earn the bronze medal in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup on May 29, 2024 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The pride of Compostela scored 13 points to help push the Philippines to its first podium finish since joining the Asian Volleyball Confederation back in 1961. For Rondina, all her sacrifices were worth it, as she jumped straight into training with the national team immediately after the conclusion of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, where she and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans lost to the Creamline Cool Smashers.
“Grabe, lagare talaga. Pero wala eh, kami yung nilagay dito and nagpapasalamat kami talaga sa mga taong sumusuporta, sa mga totoong sumusuporta,” Rondina was quoted as saying on Tiebreakers Times.
“Basta dinala namin itong country (sa podium) and we’re part of it. Para sa kanila itong panalo na ‘to, most especially sa mga taong hindi kami iniwan sa pinakauna pa lang,” the former UST star added.
Rondina also expressed her gratitude to the Alas Pilipinas’ coaching staff for sticking with her even though she had already declined an initial invitation to join the national team. However, the allure of representing the Philippines in a tournament held in the country’s capital proved too much to escape.
“Ayun, sobrang thankful ako sa coaching staff na nagtiwala talaga kasi I already declined na ma-lineup ako dito sa national team kasi mas pipiliin kong magpahinga. Pero ayun, iba talaga yung feeling na dadalhin mo yung country,” Rondina added. / JNP