• Squash

The squash facility may not be available for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, but squash president Robert Bachmann remains grateful to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for giving them a place they can call home.

Bachman admitted that the delays of the completion of squash facility inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex hampered their chances in the prestigious biennial meet set to start on 30 November at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

In fact, they were forced to cancel two events – the jumbo doubles and mixed doubles – where they have a golden chance of winning.

With that, only five events would be played in the SEA Games; the men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s team, women’s team and mixed team event.

The target completion date of the squash facility would be on March 1, forcing the Squash Rackets Federation of the Philippines to move the staging of its SEA Games to the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.  The PSC clarified that the facility they are building was not the first choice. 

In a previous presscon, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez mentioned that the squash court is not being built for the SEAG but was considered construction can meet the deadline. Upon completion, the facility will house squash along with other sports, probably table tennis.

Still, Bachmann remains thankful.

“Yes, it is unfortunate that the facility being constructed inside the Rizal Memorial will not be completed in time for the SEA Games,” said Bachmann, who used to lead the powerful membership committee of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“But at the same time, we’re also lucky because we now have a place we can call home. We have been renting competition and training venue for the longest time and through the effort of the PSC, we were finally given a new facility that we can use in future event.”

Bachmann said with this setback, they are eyeing to come up with only one or two gold medals.

“We have good chances in men’s singles,” he said.

“But if Jemyca Aribado would play well, we might also clinch a gold in the women’s singles.”

Aside from Aribado, also seeing action are Robert Garcia, Reymark Begornia, Alyssa Dalida, David Peliño, Christopher Buraga and Jimmie Avila.PR