THE World Archery Philippines (WAP) plans to hold its own training bubble in Dumaguete for national team members hoping to join the Tokyo Olympics archery qualifying competitions soon.
WAP secretary-general Rosendo Sombrio said they are just waiting for the go-signal of Tokyo Olympics chef de mission Mariano “Nonong” Araneta and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) so they can start their training in a safe and exclusive area in Dumaguete.
“We’re looking at these qualifying tournaments for the Tokyo Olympics. I think the last qualifying meet will be in Paris, France this June 2021”” said Sombrio during the 15th “Usapang Sports on Air” by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) via Zoom recently.
Sombrio said Carson Hastie, Jason Feliciano and California, USA-based Riley Silos and Phoebe Nicole Amistoso, Pia Bidaure and Gabrielle Bidaure are among the country’s leading archers still hoping to book a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics next year.
“Right now, nagpa-praktis ang majority ng team members namin na karamihan ay based sa Dumaguete. Yung isa, galing Dagupan at meron siya sariling practice area doon,” added Sombrio during the weekly program sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Games and Amusements Board (GAB).
“Lahat naman sila nakaka-praktis kahit yung short distance shooting kahit may lockdown, Then after na-revert into MGCQ ang Dumaguete, nakakapag-shoot nasila ng proper Olympic distance na 50 meters,” added Sombrio, who is best remembered for winning the men’s team compound gold in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.
“Ang qualifying tournaments sa Olympics ay para sa recurve. Kasi dalawang categories ang archery — recurve at compound. Hindi naman necessary ang ranking. Kailangan lang namin na sumali sa qualifying kasi may mga available spots na kailangan makapasok ang mga archers. Sa atin, sa babae, apat na team ang kailangan to qualify, sa lalaki, one or two teams.”
Asked about the WAP virtual tournaments, Sombrio said internet connections remain a big challenge.
“Meron kaming mga upcoming virtual tournaments, kaso inaayos pa namin yung internet connection kasi minsan yung iba nasa probinsya, mahirap or nawawala yung mga line nila. Mahirap namin ma-finalize ang score. Inaayos namin. Maybe this coming month, meron kaming isa.”
On adjustments needed for online training and tournaments, Sombrio said:
“Sa archery, malaking bagay kasi yung palagi kang kasama sa mga tournaments. Lalo na sa archery, minsan mind games din at palagi mong kalaban ang kaba pag nagsho-shoot. Yung program namin pag nagtuloy-tuloy after pandemic, maganda yun”
“Ang ginagawa namin ngayon ay preparations pati na ang pagsasagawa ng virtual shoots kahit kabisado mo ang effect nito. Nnakikita din natin yung paano sila makipag-compete sa ibang archers kasi yung mga archers natin ngayon, puro mga bata, mga baguhan at agresibo.”
Sombrio said the future is bright for the country’s young archers.
“Malaki ang kinabukasan nila. Nakapag-qualifying na kami last February. Yan ang first qualifying namin this year. Sana sunod-sunod na pati na ang international tournaments na sasalihan namin in Taiwan, Thailand and China. Hindi lang natuloy dahil nagka COVID,” explained Sombrio.
“Ang ginagawa namin ngayon yung mga daily at weekly na mobility exercises, strength and conditioning at resistances exercises.
Yun lang ang nagagamit namin ngayon, kasi minsan pinapacheck namin yung nag-virtual tournament na one-on-one.”
“Sana mabigyan tayo ng gosignal, kasi yung ibang bansa, naglalaro na. Ang problema, di tayo makasali. Naglalaro na sila sa maraming tournaments since last week kasama yung isang World Ranking event sa Antalya, Turkey. Pero sadly konti lang ang nakasali doon.”
On WAP’s year-longgrassroots development program:
“Actually, yung ginagawa namin na inter-leagues gaya ng Philippine Archery Cup, part ng grassroots development program namin.
Buong Pilipinas ito kasi may legs sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao. Madami tayo na may potential na archers ngayon in Mindanao, in Visayas and NCR and some parts of Luzon gaya ng Baguio. Pati na dito sa Manila, Karamihan mga bata pa.”
“Ang kulang lang yung qualifying. Ngayon tinitingan namin kung matuloy namin yung qualifying natin for SEA Games this year.
Meron kaming makita na new faces sa national team. Ang naging advantage po ng Dumaguete, ay para naging sentro nila doon at saka maraming archery range doon. Sabihin natin every barangay may mga archery range na rin doon so parang kinarir nila ang paglalaro ng Archery. Maraming magagaling.”
On WAP’’s program to monitor the developments of the national archers:
“So far, every week nagsu-submit sila sa amin ng practice report. We made it mandatory As of now, wala namang nag-gain ng weight sa kanila. Meron lang noong nagsimula ang ECQ tayo. Nanibago kasi di makalabas, yung mga bata kain ng kain. Noong nag-GCQ na, bumalik sila sa strength and conditioning workouts, Ngayon bumalik sila sa normal na weights.”
“Pero sa archery kasi, di lang kami naka-focus sa timbang ng atleta. Importante lang sa amin na kailangan malusog at nakakain ng tama para may lakas at gumana yung mindset nila. Di masyado kailangan na mapayat or mataba ka. Normal lang. Walang problema sa archery.”
On the role of the PSC and the private sector in the development of archery in the country:
“The PSC is always there for us. Matagal na kami sinusuportahan ng PSC, gaya sa target box, tournament equipment at iba pa.pero we also need private sponsors. Minsan problema oa din yun venues, like nun may toyrnament kami sa Zamboanga. Koronadal, madalas ang tournamenrs dahil suportado kami ng Mayor nila at may mga venues na binibigay sa amin. Target din namin sa Davao. Sa Visayas, may Ormoc kasi supportaso din ang archery ni Mayor Richard Gomez.”
“Meron din sa Dumaguete at Cebu, Pati sa sa Baguio, La Union, Pangasinan at Ilocos. Sana madagdagan pa.”
with reports from Gab Ferreras
