Teen Agustin falls short of teqball bronze

NAGOYA, Japan -- Young Philippine teqball athlete Prince Agustin fell short of a podium finish at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, placing fourth on Sunday after a hard-fought battle against Cambodia’s 36-year-old Southeast Asian Games champion Friday Saw.

The 14-year-old Grade 9 student from Amulung, Cagayan Valley, showed flashes of brilliance against his veteran counterpart, tying the score twice at 7-all in both sets.

However, Saw’s experience ultimately proved decisive, securing a 12-7, 12-7 victory to claim the bronze medal.

Despite missing out on the P400,000 cash incentive awarded by the Philippine Sports Commission to bronze medalists, Agustin’s fourth-place effort marks significant progress for the young athlete.

It improves on his eighth-place finish at the SEA Games in Bangkok and follows a silver-medal performance at the Asian Beach Games in China, with his fellow 14-year-old teammates Anel Pacis Jr. and Dailan Christoffe Montenegro.

After dominating the Palarong Pambansa last year in Ilocos Norte as sepak takraw athletes, they were discovered by coach George Dalanay, who urged them to try out the sport of teqball, which combines the principles of football, volleyball and sepak takraw.

“Gusto ko po yumaman para sa pamilya ko,” said Agustin, the first athlete in his family, whose father works as a Wi-Fi technician.