Coach Prof. Thamarak La-Ongnual, president of the host Ubon Ratchathani Jayabhat University (center) poses with FESSAP Executive Vice President Prof. Robert Milton Calo (right) and Philippines’ Head of Delegation Maria Cecille Sarmiento during the 20th ASEAN University Games (AUG) football match at UBRU Stadium, with support from State Universities and Colleges (SUC), PAGCOR, Bestank and Henn Sports.

PH in AUG volleyball final

August 1, 2022 Ed Andaya 750 views

DEFENDING champion Philippines asserted its mastery over Singapore in straight sets, 25-18, 25-16, 25-23, to set up a gold medal match against host Thailand in the 20th ASEAN University Games volleyball competitions at the Bang Yang Noi Campus in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

The Filipinos, whose campaign is supported by the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP), opened their campaign in the three-nation, single-round tournament with a victory over Singapore, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-19, last July 29, before losing to host Thailand, 25-23, 24-26, 12-25, 11-25.

The Thais, who also won over Singapore, advanced to the gold-medal game with 2-0 win-loss record.

The Philippines-Thailand title showdown is a repeat of the 2018 final held in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

In 2018, the Philippines defeated Thailand,30-28, 25-23, 25-19 and Malaysia, 25-14, 23-25,25-23, 25-20 in the group play; and Indonesia , 25-14-25.23, 25-13 in the semis.

The National University-represented Filipinos made it two wins in a row over Thailand, 26-27, 25-21, 22-25,25-20, to win the gold.

Elsewhere:

— The Philippines, represented by the Technological University of the Philippines Grayhawks, will open its campaign in the basketball competions on August 1

Handled by veteran coach Arlene Rodriguez, the Philippines will take the floor against Singapore starting at 6 p.m..

The Grayhawks reached the quarterfinal round of the NAASCU and CHED tournaments.

“We’ll do our best to makr our country proud,” said Rodriguez after supervising the team practice late Sunday afternoon.

— In table tennis, Francis Bendebel defeated Vongdalasinh Seng Arthid of Laos before losing to Yingyuen Sarun of Thailand in the men’s singles.

Angelo Laudato lost to Passara Pattaraton of Thailand in the men’s singles; and Patricia Lucas bowed to Pearlyn Koh Kai Xin of Singapore and Andrea Gestosani yielded to Kongphet Nitnapha of Laos in the women’s singles.

In the mixed double, Bendebel and Alexandra Dominique Reyes lost to Tungbovornphichet Punnatat and Choosattayanond Thanathnan of Thailand, while Romualdo Ramiro and Joyce Peralta bowed to Puthikungasem Veerapat and Kola Nanapat of Thailand.

— The rowing team from Ateneo de Manila and tennis squad from Mapua have also arrived to represent the country in the biennial competition which started in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 1981.

So far, the Philippines is in the middle of the 10-nation standings with four gold medals — all from swimming sensation Chloe Isleta of De La Salle University– and two bronze medals – one from Isleta and one in karate courtesy of Roi Vincent Vergara of Technological University of the Philippines.

Isleta, widely considered as the new “Poster Girl” of Philippine swimming, captured the gold medals in the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley and bronze in the 50m freestyle.

A gold medal winner in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam last May, the 24-year-old Isleta established new AUG record in both the women’s 100m and 200m backstroke events.

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