Jacqueline trains sights on Beijing

BANGKOK – If lady luck continues to smile on Jacqueline de Guzman, she would become an Olympic trap shooter only two years after taking up the sport.

From here, De Guzman will have a brief layover in Manila before joining the RP team in the Asian shooting championships in Kuwait – the last regional qualifier for the Beijing Olympics next year.

Her spirit was buoyed up by her silver-medal exploit right in her first Southeast Asian Games appearance.

She made 18-23-23, curiously better than the 19-17-22 score of her husband Mark de Guzman, who was a guest shooter in the men’s skeet.

Mark, No. 4 in the men’s ranking back home, added 41 in the last two rounds yesterday to finish with 99 in the 125-bird contest.

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BANGKOK – No. 1 Thai bet Danai Udomchoke ruled his warm-up tourney for the coming SEAG netfest but expressed his concern against the Philippines’ Cecil Mamiit.

The 2001-03 men’s singles champion denied a three-peat by Mamiit in 2005, Udomchoke hopes to avoid an early confrontation with the tough Fil-Am bet.

“Mamiit will be the toughest opponent in the men’s singles. It will be easier if I don’t have to play him in the early rounds,” Udomchoke was quoted by The Nation as saying.

The Philippines won the tennis overall championship in 2005 with Mamiit powering the men’s team past the Thais in the team final before clobbering Udomchoke in the singles. Eric Taino and Riza Zalameda combined to win the mixed doubles.

The Thais avoided a shutout then on the victory of the Ratiwatana twins in the men’s doubles, beating Mamiit and Taino in the finale.

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BANGKOK – SEAG fever has literally gripped the Thai capital with the Thai people more concerned celebrating the 80th birthday of their much revered monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Celebration started Sunday with the SEAG opening in Nakhon Ratchasima Thursday only among the highlights of the festivities.