Gymnasts, karatekas see SEAG gold haul

MANILA, Philippines - Gymnastics and karate are seeking to win a combined five to six gold medals for the country during its campaign in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia next month.

Officials, coaches, and team members of both sports made the fearless forecast in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave.

“With the rigid training that we’ve had over the past eight months, we hope we can give our country at least three to four golds in the SEA Games,” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion, whose sport is making a comeback in the biennial meet after its non-inclusion in the 2009 staging in Laos.

Not to be outdone, Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF) president Enrico Vazquez and secretary general Raymund Lee Reyes, see the karatekas improving their performance two years ago with a two gold haul during the Nov. 12-22 event in the city of Jakarta and the province of Palembang.

 “With our present team, we’re targeting of at least winning two gold medals,” said Lee during the session presented by Smart, Outlast Battery, Pagcor, and Shakey’s.

Accompanying Carrion were men’s gymnastics coach Roland Udquin, Romanian women’s gymnastics coach Janna Eftimiu, rhythmic gymnastics coach Virginia Indon and aerobics coach Armand Asuncion.