BEWARE the other Southeast Asian squash-playing countries, here comes the Philippines.
The national squash team will return home with a shiny new feather in its cap after capturing its first Southeast Asian Team Championships crown with a stunning 3-0 sweep of fancied Malaysia in Bangkok, Thailand last Tuesday.
The Filipino racket wielders were virtually invincible in the shutout of the Malaysians, not dropping a single set in all three matches in the best-of-3 series finals, with Robert Garcia opening their drive with an 11-6, 16-14, 11-9 win over Sunil Kumar Sivanesan in the first match that lasted 37 minutes.
Newly-crowned Thailand International Squash International men’s single champion Reymark Begornia took over from where Garcia left off, settling the issue by whipping Sel Tay Jun Qian 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 in just 27 minutes in the second match.
Jemyca Aribado, who ruled the distaff side in the Thai meet, no longer played against Sel Shasmithaa in the last match since it no longer had any bearing on the outcome.
The other men’s team member is Robert David Pelino while Lizette Reyes and Alyssa
Dalida, who also served as acting team manager, are the members of the women’s squad.
The team’s stint was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“This is the first time that our national team has won the Southeast Asian Team
Championships crown, so it was a truly pleasant surprise. All of the effort and sacrifice in training they had despite the pandemic really paid off,” said Philippine Squash Academy President Robert Bachmann.
It was also a fitting Christmas gift to Bachmann, who was elected as the new Southeast Asian Squash Federation president last August.
Bachman said the team was set to return to Manila yesterday and would spend Christmas Day this Saturday in quarantine. They are expected to be in their homes by next week.
