i TV Pinoy

Source: Rey Bancod, mb.com.ph

-- Archery competition in the Southeast Asian Games won’t start until Sunday, but the seven-man Philippine team was out on the range the whole day Monday to test its equipment and get the feel of the venue.

Earl Benjamin Yap, the country’s top bet in the men’s compound division, celebrated his 25th birthday shooting arrows and did not mind if nobody remembered.

“My goal is to finally win the gold,” said Yap who settled for the silver medal two years ago after being beaten by Indonesian Adit Puruhito, 115-113.

Yap and Puruhito clashed again during the quarterfinals of the Asian championships last month in Bali, Indonesia. Again, the Filipino lost.

Without Amaya Paz, the team would be hard-pressed to duplicate its two-gold medal performance in 2007 in Thailand.

Paz, a psychology graduate of the University of the Philippines, won the women’s individual compound crown and led the women’s team to victory.

A mother to seven-month old Enrique, Paz decided to forego her participation after falling victim to typhoon Ondoy last October.

In her desire to defend her title, Paz started to store breast milk in bottles to make up for her absence at home.

But Ondoy intervened and buried Paz’s residence at Rolling Hills, New Manila under water destroying everything inside including rare magazines she collected through the years.

Actually, the milk bottles inside the refrigerator appeared untouched, but Paz did not want to take chances.

“She was devastated,” recalled team manager Terry Lim.

Amaya’s absence means the Philippines also lost its women’s team title by default.

Jennifer Chan and Abbigail Tindugan, who teamed with Amaya for the team gold, will concentrate on the individual event.

The other members of the team are Mark Javier, Rosendo Sombrio, and Fermin Barranachea.