RP assured of bronze
medal in sepak takraw

BALI — The RP women’s regu team advanced to the semifinals Thursday to assure the country of at least a bronze medal in the sepak takraw competitions of the 1st Asian Beach Games here.

The Filipinas, led by Deseree Autor and Sarah Jane Catain, beat Thailand 21-2 and 21-3 in the preliminaries at the Inna Grand Bali Hotel beach to advance against either Korea or China.

The men’s team, however, bowed to Brunei 17-21 and Thailand 5-21 in Group A.

In volleyball, Rhovyl Verayo and Jonrey Sasing lost to Indonesia’s Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro and Andy Ardiyansah 16-21, 15-21 in the round-of-16 with the two women’s squads also bowing to their opponents.

Michelle Carolino and Suzanne Roces were beaten by Thailand’s Usa Tenpaksee and Januree Sannok 12-21, 9-21 while Nerissa Bautista and Jusabelle Brillo fell to Alexandra Turicusheva and Tatyana Maskova of Kazakhstan 16-21, 13-21.

"It was a good match. The Filipinos attacked well but they still have to work on their blocking," said Darkuncoro, who won the Southeast Asian Games gold in 2001 and 2003 with a different partner.

"I think that the (Philippine) team here is better than the one which played in the SEAG," added Darkuncoro.

Verayo and Parley Tupaz finished fourth in the 2005 and 2007 SEAG. Tupaz retired after the Thailand Games and is now coaching the St. Benilde beach volleyball team in the NCAA.

Meanwhile, the Philippines takes on Kuwait in men’s basketball preliminaries in Group B at the Tanjung Benoa beach.

The other match features Japan against Thailand.

Playing in Group A are Indonesia against Malaysia and India against Singapore.