Cobra-PAL PDBF places 3rd in Asian championship
Ric Nacional (PCG), Florence Caro (PCG), Rolando Isidro Jr (PCG), Ruditha Lucero (PCG), Alex Sumagaysay (PNavy), Jeff Dela Cruz (PCG), Ambrocio Gontinas (PCG), Arnold Laureno (PCG), Edward Balbuena (PNavy), Joram Angeles (PNavy), Mary Neth Bechayda (PCG), Mary Ann Huganas (Triton), Noelle Wenceslao (PCG)
Coming into the competition as underdogs with only 28 paddlers and practically no substitutes, Cobra PAL PDBF won 7 medals out of 8 races. All Filipino Team Philippines attained overall #3 in the recent 2 day International Dragonboat Federation Asian Championships held in Adelaide Australia, winning 2 silver and 5 bronze medals with 28 crew delegates. While Chinese Taipei, 2nd overall garnered 3 golds, 3 silver with 84 crew delegates and Macau China 1st overall with 8 golds, 3 silver with a massive crew of 110 paddlers.
On Mar 29, Cobra PAL PDBF won 3 bronzes out of 4 races, namely open small boat 500m, mixed standard boat 500m & mixed small boat 500m.
The next day, Cobra PAL PDBF hauled 4 medals in all its 4 races: plucked 2 silvers in open small boat 200m and women small boat 200m, plus another 2 bronzes in mixed standard boat 200m and mixed small boat 200m.
Powered by Cobra Energy Drink and Philippine Airlines, Philippine Dragonboat Federation showed their strong determination and dedication to win as much medals as they could despite limitations in the number of crew and no substitutes in all Asian Championships boat categories, whether standard or small boat, whether open or mixed or women boat.
Hubert L. Tan, Senior Vice President – Commercial of Asia Brewery Inc., said; “The Cobra-PAL PBDF team showed their love for the sport. They were determined to make our country proud even without the complete line up, they showed their true strength and embodied perseverance to win medals. Today marks the day when other countries will see our strength and our ability to emerge in this sport.” Having finished overall #2 in the 2014 World Cup, all eyes will now turn to the Cobra PAL PDBF as they aim to bid for the #1 seed in the upcoming World Cup in September.
