Water polo hopes to make Doha trip

Water polo, which made big waves in the last Southeast Asian Games, may just make the Doha Asian Games-bound RP team after all.

Swimming chief Mark Joseph yesterday said the team is capable of winning a medal in the quadrennial meet slated Dec. 1-15 following its impressive silver medal performance in the 23rd edition of the SEAG.

"Hopefully, our water polo team could make the RP squad going to Doha because I feel we have good chance in snaring a medal," said Joseph.

Joseph said the country was ranked seventh in Asia before the SEAG. And since the Doha Games are open to the top 12 teams, RP is qualified to join.

"We are top two in the SEA Games and seventh in Asia, so we’re really qualified," Joseph said.

To date, 129 athletes, all of whom came from individual events, passed the criteria set by the Asiad Task Force headed by athletics president Go Teng Kok.

That was before the Philippine Sports Commission earmarked P30 million for the country’s actual participation in the Doha Games.

"If they pass the criteria and they have the chance to win, why not," said Go. "But we will study it very carefully, we’ll see if it will be feasible."

Joseph said the squad, which is composed of 13 players and two coaches, is currently undergoing rigid training in preparation for the Asian Inter-club Water Polo Championship, which the country will host this September.

The event, which will be participated in by top teams from former Soviet republics and regional champion China, will serve as the RP bets‘ tuneup for the Doha games.

"It’s a strong tournament because some of the best in the region will be participating, which will serve as exposure of our team," Joseph said.