POC says RP will exceed 4 Asiad golds

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. yesterday expressed optimism that the RP team set to do battle in next month’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China is capable of surpassing the country’s medal haul in the previous Asiad.

Attesting to the “quality” of the 233-strong athlete named to the contingent as of yesterday, Cojuangco said he’s convinced the Filipino bets can win at least four gold medals in the Nov. 12-27 meet.

“It (surpassing the four-gold, six-silver, nine-bronze medal harvest in the 2006 Doha Asiad) is achievable, “ Cojuangco said after the POC general assembly at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club.

He named chess, boxing and billiards as among the potential gold mines for Team Philippines in the quadrennial meet.

Grandmasters Wesley So and Eugene Torre will spearhead the bid of the 12-member crew in chess.

Boxing, which produced two golds from Doha, will be bannered by Charly Suarez in the men’s team and Annie Albania in the distaff side.

The star-studded billiards and snooker team, owners of one gold and two silvers from the 2006 meet, will be headed by Efren “Bata” Reyes, Dennis Orcollo, Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamco, Rodolfo Luat and world lady champ Rubilen Amit.

Cojuangco, though, admitted that overall, the RP athletes’ pre-Asiad build-up might not be sufficient against the rivals from the region’s powerhouses.

“The quality of the participants are good; I’m just not sure whether the preparation is good. I feel our preparations are too short,” he said.