SURAKARTA, Indonesia. – With the potent triumvirate of FIDE Master Sander Severino, Jasper Rom and Henry Roger Lopez leading the way, Filipino chessers are expected to stamp their mark in the 11th Asean Para Games chess competitions that starts Sunday at the Lor-in Hotel here.
“Definitely, we want to surpass what our athletes did in Malaysia five years ago,” said national coach James Infiesto, referring to the four gold, three silver and six bronze medals the country won on the way to placing third overall in the regional sports showcase in the Malaysian capital.
Infiesto revealed the Indonesian hosts have added 12 more events, boosting to 36 the gold medals that will be up for grabs in the sport.
“This is why we tried to fill up all of the categories with players since there will be 12 more golds available in this competition,” Infiesto said.
Expected to figure prominently in the campaign backed by the Philippine Sports Commission are Severino, Jasper Rom and Henry Roger Lopez, who swept the men’s team standard and rapid events in the 2018 Asian Para Games in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.
Highlighting that sterling display was the 1-2-3 finish of Severino, Lopez and Rom in the men’s individual rapid event.
“We completed a grand slam of gold, silver and bronze in the individual rapid event so this is why Indonesia is really preparing hard to get back at us,” Infiesto said, adding he has other players who could pull off some surprises.
The other members of the men’s squad are Felix Aguillera, Anthony Abogado, Cecilio Bilog, Francis Ching, Darry Bernardo, Israel Peligro, Menando Redor, Rodolfo Sarmiento and Arman Subaste.
The women’s squad is composed of Cheryl Angot, Maria Teresa Bilog, Charmaine Tonic, Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza, Evangeline Gamao, Corazon Lucero, Ma. Katrina Mangawang, Fe Mangayayam, Jean-Lee Nacita and Elena Peligro.
