Thirty-six Filipino athletes from nine sports carry the brunt of
the Philippines' campaign in the first full day of competition in
the 15th Asian Games Saturday, local media reported.
Fourteen gold medals are actually up for grabs in five sports on
the first day of action although the Filipinos are vying for only
seven golds, five in swimming and one each in judo and shooting,
according to a report by The Philippine Star daily.
The report said the burden to produce the country's first medal,
not necessarily the gold, rests on swimmer Miguel Molina and judoka
Tomohiko Hishani.
Molina, who will compete in the 400-meter individual medley at
the Hamad Aquatic Center, submitted the third fastest qualifying
time behind two Japanese swimmers.
"I'll do my best to win a medal," said Molina, the Southeast
Asian Games triple gold medalist, who trains in Berkeley,
California.
Hishani opens his bid in the +100-kilogram category when he
takes on Makhmadamin Khonov of Tajikistan.
A victory would advance Hishani to the quarterfinal where he
will face Yeldos Ikhsanagaliyev of Kazakhstan.
The women's trap team, composed of Gay Corral, Veneranda Garcia
and Anna Maria Gana, will vie for the other gold outside of
swimming.
The men's trap squad, made up of Asian Games bronze medallist
Jethro Dionisio, Jaime Recio and Eric Ang, will also see action in
the qualifying phase at the Luisail shooting complex.
(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2006)