HINDI maikakaila ang kakayahan ng mga Filipino archers, at umaasa ang World Archery Philippines (WAP), na muli itong makikita sa darating na 32st Southeast Asian Games sa Hanoi, Vietnam.

Bagamat nanalo lamang ng isang gold medal sa nakalipas na SEA Games sa Manila nung 2019, kumpiyansa ang mga Filipino archers na mahihigitan nila ito sa darating na kumpetisyon na nakatakda sa Mayo 12-23.

Isang bullseye sa archery sa Hanoi, ayon kay 1995 SEAG champion- turned-coach Clint Sayo.
At bakit nga ba ang hindi?

“When it comes to winning medals again, I am very positive that our archers can do it in Hanoi. We won only one gold in Manila in 2019, kaya natitiyak kong kaya natin itong lagpasan,” pahayag ni Sayo sa nakalipas na weekly “Sports On Air” podcast.

“With or without the pandemic the whole team is training together, working together. Tuloy-tuloy yun preparations. So I can tell you now, siguradong kukuha kami ng medalya at mahihigitan namin yun one gold medal na nakuha natin sa previous SEA Games,” dagdag pa ni Sayo.

Ang pagbabalik ng husband and wife team nina Paul at Rachelle Anne dela Cruz, na nanalo ng nag-iisang gold medal sa mixed team compound ng Pilipinas sa 2019 SEA Games, ang isa sa mga nagbibigay ng lakas ng loib kay Sayo.

“Sa archery, we were allowed by the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) to have three athletes plus one reserve. So there will be eight archers in compound and eight archers in recurve,” paliwanag pa ni Sayo, na sumungkit ng gold medal sa men’s individual recurve sa Chiang Mai SEA Games nun 1995.

“For the men’s side in the compound, we have Paul Marton Dela Cruz, Johann Olaño and Florante Matan and reserves Arnold Rojas and Niño Maandig. In the women’s side are Jennifer Chan, Andrea Robles and Rachel dela Cruz and reserves Daphne Austria and Abby Tindugan.”

“In men’s recurve are Jason Feliciano, Girvin Garcia, Jonatha Reaport and reserves Riley Silos and Chkeil Enecio. The women’s side will have sisters Abby and Pia Bidaure and Phoebie Amistoso.

Yung reserves natin are the ones coming from Baguio, Danielle Dimares and Ketura Gonzalez.

Sinabi pa ni Sayo na lalahok ang bansa sa lahat ng 10 events — individual, men’s and women’s recurve and compound, team events in both compound and recurve and mixed team events in both divisions.

Gayunman, ibinulgar ni Sayo na patuloy na nagiging malaking sagabal ang funding para sa national team.

“For the coming SEA Games, only the compound team has a budget. Yung sa recurve side, we have to do self-fund kasi walang budget. Hindi kasi kami nanalo even a single medal sa recurve. That time, ang mga players natin puro lahat bago at mga bata pa. Yung pinakamatanda natin is 20 years old, yun iba meron 16, 14 years old.”

“That’s why we are now looking for sponsors dahil medyo malaki ang kakailanganin na pera. WAP president Atty. Clint Aranas is also looking for some private sponsorship na makakatulong para maipadala ang buong recurve team natin sa darating na SEA Games,” paliwanag pa ni Sayo.