Nat’l athletes off for Incheon

MANILA, Philippines - The first batch of Filipino athletes to this year’s Asian Games, led by flag-bearer Geylord Coveta of windsurfing, left the country yesterday, armed and ready to face the region’s best athletes.

Also taking the direct flight to Incheon four days before the opener are windsurfer John Harold Madrigal, shooters Hagen Topacio and Eric Ang, and rowers Roque Abala, Alvin Amposta, Nestor Cordova, Edgar Ilas and Benjamin Tolentino.

The athletes were accompanied by just a handful officials, and are expected to be welcomed to the Athletes Village by chef-de-mission Richie Garcia who flew to Incheon last Wednesday.

“Everything is in place – their uniforms, equipment, travel and accommodation,” said Garcia, who will be the first man in and the last man out for the Philippine delegation to Incheon.

Tomorrow, 35 athletes and officials from wushu, fencing, tennis, weightlifting and judo, including a small medical staff, will fly to Incheon either via Philippine Airlines or Korean Air.

The main bulk of athletes and officials will leave on Saturday, and they include the members of Gilas Pilipinas, who are fresh from their heroic stand in the FIBA World Cup in Spain.

Marcus Douhit, a late replacement for NBA player Andray Blatche, will lead the Gilas squad, including head coach Chot Reyes and his assistants.

The 16-strong women’s softball team, better known as the Philippine Blu Girls, will take the long, back-breaking flight to Incheon from Los Angeles, where they’ve been training the past couple of months.

Also leaving on Saturday are those from triathlon, bowling, archery and sailing.

A total of 150 athletes will represent the Philippines in Incheon, and a good number of them will be coming in straight from their overseas training.

The triathletes will arrive in Incheon via London; those in sailing via Madrid; in judo via Narita; in swimming via Honolulu; in equestrian via Amsterda; and in fencing via Boston.

The rest of the athletes and officials will leave in separate batches:  boxing (11) on Sept. 21, golf (9) on Sept. 22, athletics (11) on Sept. 24, taekwondo (15) and rugby (12) on Sept. 27, and karate (8) on Sept. 29.