Six golds dangled above PH

INDONESIAN President Joko Widodo holds the Asian Games torch as he runs during an independence day ceremony at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday. AP JAKARTA, Indonesia – An air of competitiveness floats around the beehive that is the Athletes’ Village, formally signaling the start of medal competitions in the 18th Asian Games in this bustling Indonesian metropolis.

First to wade into battle, on a day Filipino athletes bid for six gold medals, is swimmer Roxanne Ashley Yu, who will compete in the preliminaries of the women’s 200-meter backstroke at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatics Stadium.

Nothing much is expected from the four-time Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist, especially with the presence of the pool titans from Japan, China and Singapore. But an impressive finish in the morning races will set the tone for Team Philippines in this prestigious quadrennial tournament.

Hopes, however, are high on the poomsae artists.

SEA Games champions Rodolfo Reyes and Dustin Mella will see action in the men’s individual event at 9 a.m. at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Then, they will join Joerdan Dominguez in the team event at the same venue.

In the distaff side, Jocel Lyn Ninobla and Faye Crisostomo will see action in the women’s individual event.

Rinna Babanto and Janna Dominique Oliva will then join Crisostomo in the team event later in the day.

The Filipino poomsae bidders are tipped to deliver.

Dominguez is a world champion in freestyle event while Ninobla and Reyes are silver medalists in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Turkmenistan last year.

Of course, Mella is the reigning SEA Games gold medalist while Oliva is a bronze medalist in a world tourney.

Head coach Ranni Ortega told Daily Tribune’s coverage of the Asiad that is supported by Primehomes that the squad is ready after undergoing rigid training with a Korean coach and several tuneup matches.

“We’re really ready. We prepared early and we did a couple of tournaments and we also trained under a Korean coach, so our athletes are ready,” said Ortega, who won the gold medal in the 4th Poomsae World Championship in Cairo in 2009 together with Camille Alarilla and Janice Lagman.

This is the first time that poomsae will be played in the Asian Games.

It also has a different format compared with the World Championships and AIMAG, where there are more technical routines like acrobats and spins.

“It’s hard to predict because it’s the first time in the Asian Games and it has a different format. So, all I can say is that we’re giving our all. And all players know what to do so we’re hoping for the best.”

“We’re praying hard. This one is for the country.”

Also looking to deliver the country’s first gold medal is Alvin Lobrequito, who will compete in the men’s 57k freestyle wrestling event also at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Meanwhile, the Blu Girls will also into plunge into women’s softball action when it battles Hong Kong at the GBK Softball Field while the highly-popular women’s volleyball team formally makes its return to the Asian Games after a 36-year absence.

The volleybelles clash with regional rival Thailand at the GBK Indoor Volleyball Hall.

In wushu, Francisco Solis kicks off his bid in the first round of the men’s 56kg sanda while Jean Claude Saclag sees action in the 60kg event.

Over in Palembang, shooter Hagen Topacio, who nearly qualified in the Rio Olympics in 2016, also begins his bid when the men’s trap qualifier fires off together with lawn tennis, where Jeson Patrombon and Jade Capadocia campaigns in the men’s and women’s singles events, respectively, while Francs Casey Alcantara and Katherina Lehnert bid in the mixed event.

All in all, the Philippines will be vying for six gold medals — four in taekwondo, one in swimming and one in wrestling — out of the 21 total mints at stake in the first official day of battle.

Chief of mission Richard Gomez begged off from making any medal projection but stressed that he’s expecting a strong start and an even stronger finish in this prestigious quadrennial meet.

“All we’re looking for is a strong start to set the tone for a good participation in the next couple of weeks,” said Gomez, the actor-politician who also heads the national fencing federation.

“We’re pinning our hopes on the athletes. We know what they went through – all the hard work, all the sacrifices. So, we know they will go all out in the biggest battle of their lives.”