16 archers vie in SEA Games

Sixteen recurve and compound bow archers, including a 17-year-old newcomer, have been recommended by the coaching staff to carry the Philippine colors in the archery competition of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at the Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City next month.

They are: Recurve–Jasmin Figueroa, Rachele Anne Cabral, Edwina delos Reyes, Katherine Annalyn Santos, Florante Matan, Marvin Cordero, Mark Javier and Christian Cubilla;

Compound–Amaya Paz, Jennifer Chan, Joann Tabanag, Abbigail Tindugan, Carlos Carag, Adam Jimenez III, Gil Gabriel and Earl Benjamin Yap.

Figueroa is a veteran of the Athens Olympics last year, while Santos, a nursing student, is making her first international appearance.

These 16 were recommended to the NAAP (National Archery Association of the Philippines) Board led by Dr. Lenora Fe Brawner by the coaches and team managers.

The recurve coaching staff is composed of Henry Manalang, head coach; Dr. Ferdinand Brawner, assistant coach/therapist; and Crispin Gimena, assistant coach; while handling the compound team are Pedro Cortez Jr., head coach; Manuel Martinez, coach; and Ma. Victoria Gustillo, assistant coach/psychologist.

Renato Bartolome and Nestor de Castro are the managers for recurve and compound teams, respectively, while Dr. Juan Ma. Pablo Nanagas and Siegfredo Velasquez are their respective assistants.

Dr. Brawner and her secretary general-treasurer, Ligaya Manalang, believe Filipino archers are capable of improving their one-gold, two-bronze performance two years ago in Vietnam.

The women’s team won the gold while the men’s team and ace archer Matan took the bronze in the team and individual