KAYOD Pilipinas, the national squash team, dropped a close 1-2 decision to powerhouse Singapore in the mixed team finals as the country bagged overall honors at the close of the 9th Southeast Asian Cup Squash championships at the Vajiravudh College courts in Bangkok, Thailand last Saturday.
Veterans ReymarkBegornia and David Pelino lost to Jerome Aw Jing Ming and Aaron Liang by scores of 11-13, 5-11 and 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 3-11, respectively, in the first men’s singles.
But the Filipino bets salvaged some pride as top player JemycaAribado came from behind to fashion a 2-11, 11-6, 15-13, 6-11, 11-3 victory over the WaiYhann Au Yeong in the lone women’s singles match.
Malaysian coach Wee Wern Low, who calls the shots for KayodPilipinas and celebrated her 34th birthday with the players in the Thai capital last July 25, must have felt proud after her charges beat Malaysia 2-1 in the semifinals to set up a title showdown with the Singaporeans.
While Begornia absorbed a 3-11, 11-7, 11-7 setback to Malaysian Duncan Lee, teammates Pelina and Aribado more than made up for the loss in beating their respective foes.
Pelino crawled out of a 0-2 hole to storm back and rally past Mohammad RaziqFakhur 10-12, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 and then Aribado subdued Annie Goh in straight sets 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 in closing out the semifinal triumph.
“Beating Malaysia in the mixed team even felt like the 2017 Malaysia Southeast Asian Games all over again,” Philippine Squash Academy executive director and re-elected Southeast Asian Squash Federation president Robert Bachman said of the Filipinos’ epic win over the hometown favorites.
“We’re happy for our athletes who played their hearts out since we also we won two golds, two silvers and one bronze medal to emerge as overall champions,” added Bachman of the outcome in the meet serving as a dress rehearsal for the return of squash in the 33rd Thailand SEA Games in December.
