GUANGZHOU — Filipino divers plunge into action Monday in the 16th Asian Games, still upbeat about their chances despite having to break training for a week to give way to an underwater hockey game back home.

The game was held Oct. 28 at TRACE Los Baños, according to Shiela Mae Perez who was left to wonder why they had to divert water from the diving pool to be used in the bigger pool. “Nagtitipid siguro,” she demurred.

The divers, all five of them, sat idly while waiting for water to return and when the pool was finally ready, they had to share it with unwelcome guests – dead frogs.

“Dahil siguro sa mababaw yung tubig sa pool, di na makatalon palabas yung mga palaka. Kaya doon na siguro namatay,” said Rexel Ryan Fabrega, the first to see action with Jaime Asok in the men’s 10-meter synchronized platform event.

Used to diving in not-so clean waters in Davao, dead frogs were the least of the divers’ problems though.

“Kahit medyo makati sa katawan, tiniis na namin. Malapit na kasi ang Asian Games. Kailangan may maipakita kaming maganda, para mas maganda suportang matanggap namin pag-uwi,” said Perez.

Perez won three gold medals when the Philippines hosted the Southeast Asian Games in 2005, but was saddled with a back injury when she saw action in the Asiad in Doha, Qatar in 2006.

“Grabe ang pressure to deliver dahil sa pinanalo ko sa SEA Games,” she recalled.
Four years after Doha, Perez said her back is holding up well despite having to train without the benefit of a physical therapist at TRACE.

“Binababad ko na lang ng mainit pagkatapos ng training para di masyadong tumigas,” Perez said.

The Philippine Sports Medicine (PSM) has four accredited PTs, two of them based in Manila and the rest in satellite offices in the provinces.

Unfortunately, divers could not avail of PTs because they don’t have the means to take long trips to Rizal Memorial complex.

“Mabuti pa ‘yung mga swimmers may sasakyan sila. Alaga sila,” said Perez, now 24.
After their superb performance in 2005, the diving team, also composed of Zardo Dominios and Niño Carog, had to face dwindling support from government.

Their Chinese coach, Zhang Dehu, left the team in 2008 allegedly because his services were not paid. He returned just two weeks ago to help prepare the squad.

“Kahit wala si coach, tumutulong pa rin siya. Nagpapadala siya ng mga messages sa e-mail tungkol sa training namin,” Perez said.

The divers conceded that their routines have a lesser degree of difficulty compared to top Chinese divers.

“Di pa naming kayang taasan ang difficulty kasi kulang pa kami sa gamit. Yung spotting belt kelan lang dumating. Dalawang taon na naming ni-request yun,” said Fabrega.

The spotting belt helps assists divers as they perform somersaulting or twisting dives or techniques while connected to an overhead safety spotting harness.

The divers longed for the days when they were sent overseas for training and exposure.
Before the Guangzhou Games, they thought they were going to China for training only to be told that the trip was cancelled because of the aftermath of the bus hostage of Hong Kong tourists in Manila.

Despite the adversities, the divers believe they can perform well and show that Filipinos can excel in the sport.

“Magagaling naman tayo. Kita n’yo naman kahit daming problema, nananalo pa rin,” said Perez, who with Fabrega qualified for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Rey Bancod, Manila Bulletin