KUALA LUMPUR—The Philippines got off to a sizzling start after its water polo team stunned Thailand, 9-7, in the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.
Hostilities have yet to start, but the national water polo squad buckled down to work as it dominated the Thais in the event’s opening salvo Tuesday at the National Aquatic Center.
Grizzled veteran Teodoro Roy Canete played like a one-man wrecking crew as he scored six goals for the Philippines, which is looking for a major rebound after suffering four losses to bomb out of the medal podium in the previous edition of the biennial meet in Singapore.
Mico Anota, Alamara Mumar and Reynaldo Salonga chipped in one goal apiece, while coming up with an airtight defense that left the Thais shaking their heads in frustration.
“I’m so happy. I didn’t expect that I will have this kind of performance,” said Canete, who was part of the squad that won a silver medal in the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand.
The 36-year-old Canete bared that he was supposed to retire, but his former teammate, now assistant coach Dale Evangelista, urged him to give the sport another try.
“They might scrap the water polo program if we will not win here in Malaysia,” said Canete, who was already working as a swimming instructor in Dubai when Evangelista gave him a call. “Sayang naman ang pinaghirapan namin noon kung mawawala ang event na ito.”
Hungarian coach Gabi Egedi said although the victory was more of a team effort, it was their training in Spain and Portugal that made a difference in their campaign.
“They were composed and did not crumble despite the Thai pressure,” said Egedi, a former national junior player of Hungary. “There were some lapses in the last quarter, but it was understandable because they were mentally tired. However, we have to correct that.”
The Philippines plunges back to action Wednesday against the Malaysians.
“For us, every game is a must-win because this is a very short series,” said head coach Rey Galang.
Water polo is just one of the four events where local bets campaigned in the second day of battle.
National players in men’s and women’s football as well as netball also marched to battle in pursuit of victories that would boost the morale of Filipinos ahead of the formal opening ceremonies this Saturday at the sprawling Jalil Bukit National Stadium.
The men’s U22 football and women’s squads are still competing against Cambodia and Malaysia, respectively, as of press time while the netball squad is still clashing with Thailand in quest of its first-ever victory in this prestigious 11-nation conclave.
Meanwhile, the first four gold medals – two from archery and two from sepak takraw – will be at stake in the third day of action.
Armed with extensive international exposure and training in the United States, the national archers are keen on reversing their fortunes after a forgettable performance in the Singapore biennial meet in 2015.
Head coach and former national team standout Clint Sayo said they trained for three weeks at the US National Archery in Salt Lake, Utah, on top of seeing action in some tournaments in California in a bid to avenge their bitter setback.
They also had a training camp in Dumaguete City, the archery hotbed of the Visayas, before flying to the Malaysian capital.
The Filipino marksmen could only muster one silver courtesy of two-time SEA Games women’s compound Amaya Paz-Cojuangco and three bronze medals.
“Gusto naming makauwi ng ginto this time,” said Sayo.
Spearheading the Philippines’ drive is SEA Games double gold medalist Paz-Cojuangco, who is seeking redemption after suffering a malfunction of his equipment and was forced to settle for the silver medal two years ago.
The SEA Games women’s compound queen in 2005 in Manila and 2007 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand swings into action Wednesday in the women’s individual compound eliminations together with teammates Abbigail Tinduggan, Jennifer Chan and rookie Kim Concepcion.
Former Asian champion Earl Yap, Joseph Vicencio, Niron Brylle Concepcion and Paul Marton dela Cruz also see action in the men’s individual compound eliminations at this range inside the sprawling KL Sports City on the outskirts of Bukit Jalil just outside the Malaysian capital.
Sayo said he is pinning his hopes on Gabriel Moreno, a 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games gold medalist, and veteran archer Florante Matan in the men’s recurve competitions.