LOOKING to sharpen its game as its aims for a first-ever gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine water polo team is in Singapore to compete at the FINA Water Polo Challengers Cup 2019.
Happening from Oct. 8 to 13 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, the event will see the nationals pit their skills with some of the best teams in the world.
It will mark the second time that the Philippines is competing in the tournament after the 2008 edition of it held in Kuwait.
Having the chance to compete in the tournament, the country’s water polo team said it would go a long way in their push to finish at the top of the podium at the 30th SEA Games here later this year.
“It’s (Challengers Cup) a very important event for the national team. It’s an event where we can gauge where we are in terms of our readiness, our preparation for the SEA Games because other Southeast Asian nations are also participating in this tournament,” said veteran coach Rey Galang of the Singapore tournament.
Mr. Galang and the Philippine team arrived in Singapore on Saturday morning.
In the Challengers Cup, the nationals are in Group A with Ireland, Malaysia, Zimbabwe and host Singapore. In Group B are Austria, India, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
The Philippines will open its campaign on Oct. 8 against Ireland.
“This is really good for our national team because it’s an opportunity for the players to improve and get experience because we’ll be able to face tough competition in the Challengers’ Cup,” said former water polo star turned coach Dale Evangelista.
In the 2017 edition of the SEA Games, Singapore took the gold medal, followed by Indonesia and host Malaysia.
The water polo event in the 2019 SEA Games will take place at the Aquatic Centre in New Clark City in Tarlac.
The 30th SEA Games, happening from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11, is touted to be the biggest to be staged in the Philippines, involving 11,000 athletes and officials from the 11 member nations , 9,000 volunteers, 530 events and 56 sports.
Forty-four venues have been short-listed for the event scattered in different parts of the country.
The last time the country hosted the SEA Games was in 2005. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
