SINGAPORE – Whether the Philippine water polo team is now ready for the coming SEA Games will be known when it sees action in the 10-nation FINA Water Polo Challengers’ Cup starting on Tuesday.
Dale Evangelista, a member of the last water polo national team that had a podium finish when it bagged the silver medal in 2009 Laos SEA Games, said that the FINA meet serves as good training ground for the Filipinos.
“It’s good for our national team because it’s an opportunity for the players to improve and get experience because we’ll be able to face tough competition in the Challengers’ Cup,” said Evangelista.
“This is our third international tournament and so far nasusunod naman yung program namin for the national team,” said coach Rey Galang prior to the squad’s departure for Singapore.
This marks the second time the Philippine team has been invited to the competition, and first since 2008 when it was held in Kuwait and the Filipinos finished fourth overall out of 12 teams.
The tournament, originally called the FINA World Development Trophy, has two groups.
Bracketed in Group A are Ireland, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and host country Singapore, while in Group B are Austria, India, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and Indonesia.
Singapore has never lost in water polo in the SEA Games as it captured the gold medal 27 times, while Indonesia and Malaysia bagged silver and bronze medals two years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
Prior to the 2019 FINA World Challengers’ Cup, the 13-man national team, led by veterans Roy Canete and Tani Gomez, also competed in international tournaments in Indonesia and Hong Kong.
“Maganda yung naging performance namin sa Indonesia and sa Hong Kong, so hopefully maging maganda din yung performance dito. Pataas naman yung level ng performance na team, need lang namin mag-improve sa chemistry pa ng team,” said the 38-year-old Canete.
The national team takes on Ireland on Tuesday, Zimbabwe on Wednesday, Malaysia on Thursday and Singapore on Friday. The top teams from each group will battle for the title on Sunday. (Waylon Galvez)
