MEMBERS of the Philippine Para Dance Sports team are oozing with confidence as they gear up for the prestigious World Para Dance Sport Championships in Ulsan in South Korea from November 26 to 28.
“We still have one month to prepare and we will do our best in training,” head coach Genice Bong Marquez told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.
The world meet will gather entries from as many as 40 countries, including favorites Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
Marquez said the event will definitely bring out the best from the Philippine entries who are coming off a memorable stint in the Polish Open, which served as the last qualifier for the worlds.
The Philippines brought home seven gold, four silver and eight bronze medals from Lomianki, Poland, where dancers from 16 countries participated.
Bringing home four gold medals was Evelyn de Asis (women’s single freestyle 2, single conventional 2, duo freestyle 2 with partner Julius Obrero and junior competition). The other gold medalists were Obero (combi Latin class 2 and freestyle combi class 2 with partner Rhea Marquez) and the pair of Jhona Pena and Joey Maglasang (duo standard class 2).
Winning silver medals were De Asis and Shaquile Hanze Basan, Christian Apolinario, Jhistine Glyde Baguio, Filemon Baguio II, Obero and Pena. Bronze medalists were Anne Charlaine Santos with four, Jed Villaruel, Christian Apolinario and Joey Maglasang.
Marquez told the weekly forum presented San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that all medalists in Poland will vie in the world event.
Obero and Rhea Marquez also graced the forum, saying they are working very hard in bubble training in Novaliches to make sure the Philippines is represented well in Ulsan.
“We train from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with solo practices in between and we found that very effective,” said Marquez.
“Bubble training was difficult at the start but we adjusted well to it,” added Obero, a prosthetics technician at UERM Hospital.