By REYNALD MAGALLON
BANGKOK — Here come the big guns.
The Gilas Pilipinas men’s and women’s squad along with Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and the rest of the weightlifting team have already flown in the Thai capital on Thursday, Dec. 11 before opening their respective gold medal bids in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in the coming days here.
Making do of the limited time they have together, the Gilas Men are looking to reassert their supremacy in the region when they begin their title-retention bid on Friday.
Although hastily built, largely due to the flip-flopping of the eligibility rules, the Nationals, headed by coach Norman Black, remain the benchmark in basketball in the SEA Games and still the favorite to go all the way.
Gilas will be banking on the veteran presence of Japan B.League players and former national team mainstays Ray Parks Jr., Thirdy Ravena, Matthew Wright and Jamie Malonzo along with PBA veterans Justin Chua, Abu Tratter, Von Pessumal and Robert Bolick.
Injecting the young bloods, of course, are Dalph Panopio, Allen Liwag, Cedrick Manzano and Veejay Pre.
On the other hand, leading the charge for Gilas Women are veterans Afril Bernadino and Janine Pontejos along with Chuck Cabinbin and Ana Castillo.
Monique del Carmen, Kacey Dela Rosa, Sophia Dignadice, Katrina Guytingco, Sarah Heyn, Louna Ozar, Ann Pingol and Angel Surada complete the wards of head coach Pat Aquino.
They are looking to improve their silver medal finish in Cambodia two years ago.
Meanwhile, Diaz arrived with the entire delegation of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas.
Elreen Ando, another medal prospect, is with the team together with Kristel Macrohon, Rosegie Ramos and Jhodie Peralta in the women’s team and Albert Ian Delos Santos, Fernando Agad Jr., Dave Lloyd Pacaldo and John Dexter Tabique.
Also in tow were the Philippine cycling team headed by coaches Joey de los Reyes for the women’s team and Mark John Lexer Galedo for the road&track men.
Gilas begins its quest for the gold on Friday, Dec. 12 for the women’s and on the 13th for the men’s team. Likewise, the weightlifting competitions also fire off on Saturday in Chonburi while the cycling teams are also hitting the road on Sunday.
