Cebuano athletes off to Bali for maiden Asian Beach Games

CEBU - Jusabelle Brillo and Junrey Sasing, two of the five Cebuanos competing in the 1st Asian Beach Games set tomorrow until the 26th of the month, left yesterday for Bali, Indonesia. The rest who will follow suit are wrestler Luis Ansag and sepak takraw players Metodio Suico Jr.and Harrison Castañares.

Brillo and Sasing are both first-timers in an international tournament.

Before leaving the country, the former University of the Visayas standout Brillo said she could not promise anything big as she only had a short period of time to train with the other members of the RP squad.

Beach volleyball is one of the sports expected to produce medal for the Pinoy contingent.

Ansag, for his part, just got back from Korea together with another Cebuano Marniel Dimla, a pencak silat player, who is also into wrestling.

Ansag hopes to turn the silver medal he won during the world invitational tournament in Korea to gold when he competes in Indonesia.

Pencak Silat is also featured in the inaugural Beach Games, but Dimla will be left behind as there is no weight category for him to join in.

The other sports that the Pinoy athletes are joining in include dragon boat, beach wood ball, beach soccer, surfing, sailing, marathon swimming, wind surfing, triathlon and body building. Beach basketball has been inserted as a demonstration sport.

Cebuano Britt Reroma will call the shots for the RP hoopsters.

About 10, 000 athletes, coaches and officials from 45 Asian countries will compete at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana grounds in Jim-baran, Bali for the maiden edition of the biennial meet.

The country will host the multi-sport event in 2014. (THE FREEMAN)