Malaysians withdraw

Based on the rules, if there are five or less participating teams, the competition would be conducted in a single round robin format.

The road to a Southeast Asian Games medal just got a little tougher for the national women’s volleyball team.

In a surprising turn of events, only five teams will compete in the 30th edition of the biennial meet, prompting the Nationals to come up with their best performance if they want to hit their target of winning at least a bronze medal.

Reigning champion Thailand is tipped to deploy its best team while Indonesia and Vietnam and Singapore also confirmed their participation in the women’s volleyball competition that is set to run from 28 November to 10 December at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

According to Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. secretary general Ariel Paredes, a member of the Malaysian Olympic Committee informed them that their team is not joining, prompting the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee to call off the drawing of lots.

“Based on the rules, if there are five or less participating teams, the competition would be conducted in a single round robin format,” said Paredes, who is also a ranking official of the Philippine Superliga.

“The teams ranked first and second will play for the gold medal while those ranked third and fourth will collide for the bronze medal after a single round robin. This regulation now applies to women’s volleyball.”

The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia saw action in the ASEAN Grand Prix, where the Nationals clinched the bronze medal in the first edition in Nakhon Ratchasima and second leg in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna.

The last time the Philippines won a medal in the women’s volleyball was during the country’s hosting in Bacolod City in 2005.

Meanwhile, the national men’s team chose to join Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia in Pool B while reigning champion Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore and Timor Leste were bunched in Pool A.