Molina leads Pinoy Asiad tankers

United States-based Miguel Molina leads a talented mix of swimmers bidding to snare a medal or two in the 2006 Asian Games slated Dec. 1-15 in Doha, Qatar.

Molina, one of the four Filipino triple gold medal winners in the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games, was one of the 10 tankers who made it to the team seeing action in the quadrennial meet.

Fil-Ams James Walsh, Erica Totten and Daniel Coakley also made it to the list along with SEAG veterans Kendrick Uy, Ernest Dee, Marichi Gandionco and Denjylie Cordero.

"Our senior swimmers have either retired or on a leave because of their studies so we are left with a combination of veterans and some young ones," said swimming chief Mark Joseph.

Miguel Mendoza, who won the gold medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle, retired early this year while RP team mainstays Liza Danila, Bert Guiriba and Raphael

Chua opted to skip the Doha games due to academic reasons.

Despite their absence, Joseph, a former national team mainstay, said they might pull off a surprise or two.

"We know we’re against the best of the region but our team will give it all," he said.

The PASA has also tapped the services of former Asian Gamer Fil-Canadian Fred Arzaga, who will back RP team coach Carlos Brosas.

Arzaga, who had a level 5 coaching license in North America, had in fact been in the country and personally overseeing the preparation of the swimmers, including Molina and Uy. — Joey Villar