Pursigido ang underwater hockey team na madagit ang inaasam-asam na apat na gintong medalya sa kanilang debut game sa 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Ayon kay Dennis Valdes, presidente ng Philippine Underwater Hockey Federation, malaking tulong ang pagdating sa bansa ng mga explert players mula sa New Zealand at Australia para tutukan ang pagsasanay ng koponan.
“I believe the Philippine UWH Team will do very well at the SEA Games. I am personally hoping to get four gold medals out of the four events. Of course, this cannot be guaranteed, but our athletes are training very hard for this goal,” wika ni Valdes.
Ang underwater hockey, na kilala rin bilang octopush, ay isang sport kung saan magtutulak ang ang dalawang teams ng pitsa sa ilalim ng swimming pool gamit ang isang hockey stick patungo sa goal ng kalaban.
Apat na gintong medalya ang nakataya sa men’s 4×4 at 6×6, at women’s 4×4 at 6×6 competition categories na magaganap sa Disyembre 2 at 3 sa New Clark City sa Tarlac.
“On our SEAG journey last December, I told the prospective athletes that I want one year of their lives. This has not been an exaggeration. All have sacrificed an enormous amount of time this year. They have had to ask their families for understanding, their bosses at work for support, and most importantly, their own selves for the drive and capacity to keep training for an entire year just to peak during the week of SEAG,” anang opisyal.
Malaki ang expectations kay forward Topz Policarpo ng men’s team at kay forward Nadj Buenafe sa distaff side.
Bagama’t inamin ni Valdes na ang Singapore ang pinakamahirap na katunggali, maging Malaysia at Indonesia, hindi sila papayag na mapahiya sa harap ng kanilang mga kababayan.
