Swimming tryouts for SEA tourney set

SOME 440 swimmers—180 girls and 260 boys—from 66 swimming clubs have registered to compete in the national tryouts on July 7 to 9 at the Teofilo Ildefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Malate, Manila, for the Southeast Asia Age Group Championship.

Event organizer/coach Chito Rivera said the 5th-place time in last year’s SEA Age-Group tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will be used as the qualifying standard time in all events.

The 2023 edition of the SEA Age Group Championship will be held on August 24 to 26 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"During our meeting, PSI (Philippine Swimming Inc.) Secretary General Rep. Eric Buhain suggested that instead of the bronze medal time, we use the 5th place time as the qualifying time standard so that we can give more chances to the swimmers, who we know, most of them at least, have not participated in these tryouts before," said Rivera.

"This is what our swimming leaders across the country are looking for, transparency and inclusivity. Siniguro ni PSI president Miko Vargas na mararanasan ito sa panahon ng kanilang liderato, ito na ang simula. So, we're inviting all swimming clubs regardless of affiliation to involve their swimmers to get a chance to be included in the Philippine Team," he said.

pine Football Federation, along with FIFA officials Lavin Vignesh, Lorenzo Fofi, Niko Nhouvannasak, Eastern Visayas Regional Football Association President and Philippine Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami and other officials from the different football associations in the country were present during the inauguration of the facility.

The training center was the realization of a project promised by FIFA during the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. It took some time due to several reasons including problems with the original area where the pitch was supposed to be put up.

Araneta says the project was the result of a pitch made by the PFF on a TV news report then featuring three young boys playing football amid the tragedy in the city.

When asked why they are still playing football despite what happened to their city, the boys answered that they have to practice for an upcoming tournament. Araneta shared that because of football, the three kids remained hopeful and optimistic that things will eventually get better.

“Nilagyan namin ng subtitle ‘yung report, tapos pinakita namin kay Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president then during a congress in Malaysia. Lahat sila natuwa dahil sa report. Kaya nag-pledge sila ng $1 million para mapagawa ang training center dito sa Tacloban,” Araneta shared.

The project took at least 10 years to be completed owing to many reasons including the unavailability of the original site.

“This is the testament of overcoming ad- versity after what happened here. It is really nice to see kids playing again here. It is also significant for the PFF because this is the first standard pitch here in Eastern Visayas where the neighboring provinces can also use. This will definitely boost the grassroots programs of the federation in the region,” Araneta said.

Aside from the regional training facility from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation also sent help to Tacloban by building an AFC village for those who lost their homes.

“During tragedies and during adversities, we gather together as one football team. It shows that football cares,” Araneta added.

For his part, Palami said he hopes that all games that will be played in the new facility will be dedicated to all those who died during the calamity. He is also hoping that the new football pitch will be the site of football tournaments, both local and international, in the future.

“We are very happy that almost 10 years after Typhoon Yolanda, we have this football pitch which is a testament not just of resiliency but how the Waraynons triumphed from adversity,” Palami said.

Palami also assured that the football pitch is open for everyone especially from teams from Leyte and Samar. By the way, Palami donated the three-hectare lot where the new football pitch was built. Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!

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