No go to 12 Busan aspirants

The Asian Games Task Force yesterday closed the door on a dozen more athletes trying to make it to the RP delegation bound for the Busan Asian Games but considered the possible inclusion of shooter Therese Cantada in the quadrennial event scheduled Sept. 29- Oct. 14.

Tom Carrasco of triathlon, head of the task force composed of representatives from the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, said the 12 athletes from cycling, bodybuilding, lawn tennis and soft tennis simply failed to meet the Asian Games criteria.

"The POC executive board has sustained the recommendation of the task force that only those who qualify under the criteria would make the team to Busan," POC president Celso Dayrit was quoted as saying.

Cantada, the 29-year-old sister of former national golfer Gerard, recently submitted her scores in a recent Asiad qualifying tournament staged by the Philippine National Shooting Association led by Art Macapagal. Cantada’s 576 points in the air pistol event, the PNSA said, matched the silver medal effort in the recent Milan World Cup. Carrasco said the task force is now trying to verify the scores submitted by Cantada before she is formally included in the national team. If she makes it, the number of Filipino athletes going to Busan will reach 217.

Among the athletes who failed to catch the last bus to Busan were Ronald Gorantes, Bryan Dimacili and Wilson Blass of cycling, Angelito Llora and Jesus Duga of bodybuilding, and Orlando Silvoza, Michael Enriquez, Divina Escala and Deena Cruz of soft tennis. The four others are from lawn tennis.