‘PaElla’ conjures winning taste

Alas Pilipinas Women have earned a place on the continental beach volleyball map following a historic bronze medal finish in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The collegiate tandem of Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella turned heads with a feat never before achieved by an Asiad Philippine beach volleyball team.

Displaying indomitable fighting spirit, the duo turned a semifinal heartbreak into inspiration, fueling a dramatic come-from-behind win over China’s Shuting Cao and Jie Dong, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, in the battle for bronze on Friday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Glittering like gold, the pair’s conquest not only saw the country step onto the podium for the first time since the competition’s introduction in 1998 but also offered a glimpse of what the future holds for the Alas beach volleyball program.

Alas Brazilian coach Joao Luciano Kioday could only marvel at the achievement of the “PaElla” pair, portmanteau of the two University of Santo Tomas stars.

“I think results are always a reference, right? So, I think we’ve improved a lot in beach volleyball that we deserve a spot in the mix, right?,” he said.

“I know, the Philippines is a country very about indoor volleyball. A lot of things are going on about indoor volleyball that I think they deserve. But don’t forget beach volleyball also deserved it,” Kioday added.

Kioday’s faith in the potential of Filipino beach volleyball and the work coaches and players have put in are now reaping the rewards.

Last year’s historic Southeast Asian Games gold medal by the crew of Sisi Rondina-Rosales, Bernadeth Pons, Dij Rodriguez, Sunny Villapando and Gene Eslapor, opened a world of possibilities for local beach volleyball talents.

Now, the PaElla duo gave their contribution.

“So, I think this is the time we take the flow and use this medal in a good way, not just for one team, but for the whole program,” Kioday said.

The Brazilian mentor hopes stakeholders will now back the program with more international exposure, especially for Pagara and Progella.

“We just want the opportunity, right? Opportunity to take Khy and Sofia, to make them professional beach volleyball players. To give them hope to be in the Olympics. To compete with the best teams in the world because they have the talent, they have potential for this. And that’s what I really hope,” he said.