Five wrestlers secure slots in Olympic elims

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine wrestling team is assured of five participants for each of the coming Olympic Games qualifying rounds this year.

 The Philippine team members are SEA Games champions Margarito Angana Jr. and Jason Balabal, young wrestlers Alvin Lobreguito and Roxel Jandog, and playing coach Violeto Agustin.

Wrestling Association of the Philippines (WAP) president Albert Balde said they secured the slots in the 2012 Asian Senior Wrestling Championship held Feb. 14-20 in Gumi City, South Korea.

The continental-level championship was a prerequisite of the international federation of wrestling for the coming OG qualifying rounds in Astana, Kazakhstan (Mar. 28-Apr. 2), Taiyuan, China (Apr. 24-30), and Helsinki, Finland (May 4-6).

The number of wrestlers that a country sent to the just concluded championship determines the maximum number of slots it can compete in for the qualifiers.

Most impressive were Zamboanga City’s Angana in the 55 kg. Greco-Roman event and Quezon City’s Alvin Lobreguito in the 55 kg. freestyle.

After beating his counterpart from Chinese-Taipei then losing to Japan’s, Angana finished seventh, the highest place ever achieved by a Filipino in the Asian Senior Wrestling Championship.