By JAN CARLO ANOLIN
CALATAGAN, Batangas – Clear skies and fair weather showed up here yesterday but organizers deemed the Miguel Romero Polo Field ‘unsafe’ and ‘too wet’ to play and postponed the 0-2 goals divisions for the second straight day.
Polo competition manager Camila Lastrilla said the Federation of International Polo (FIP), led by technical delegate John Fisher, decided to move the matches for safety purposes.
“Even if the field was playable yesterday (Tuesday), we still wanted everybody to be safe,” Lastrilla said. “We had a signal No. 3 storm warning here in Batangas. We didn’t want to risk the safety of all our athletes, technical officials, as well as that of the horses.”
The four-day competition, however, still follows the original schedule from the playing draw and will run starting today until Monday, Dec. 9. with a break on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Brunei and Indonesia face off at 11 a.m. while Philippines will capitalize on homefield advantage when it battles Malaysia later at 1 pm.
Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) gave a nod to the two-day contingency for the missed games. A spare day was given on Tuesday but Lastrilla hopes to hold medal matches on Monday.
“The danger of having a field that’s too wet or playing in a field that’s too wet is that the horses can easily slip. When you have a very fast game like polo where your horses are running full speed, stopping on a dime, twisting and turning and knocking into each other, safety is of course your number one priority as an official and also as a competition manager, we want to make sure that everybody’s safe.
Nationals team captain Mikee Romero, who arrived later afternoon, suited up in casual white polo, had one thing in mind before the games begin: “Laban na ‘to. Nanggigigil na rin kami maglaro.”
“Gusto ko nang bigyan ng medalya ang Pilipinas.”
Some parts surrounding the field also remained muddy and patches of mudwater have yet to dry up. Tents were reassembled yesterday after rains continued to pour for 10 straight hours Tuesday, Romero said.
Completing the Philippine squad are Coco Garcia, Nicole Eusebio, Jam Eusebio, Santi Juban, coach Anthony Garcia and veteran polo player Antonio Veloso.
