INQUIRER Sports

SINGAPORE? Philippine delegation officials didn?t lose sleep figuring out why Filipino athletes faltered at the Asian Youth Games here.

Chief of mission Cesar Hawthorne Binag attributed the Filipinos? setbacks in the Games to loss of focus.

Binag said Jayson Escumbie Valdez was a case in point. The 14-year-old shooter fell at the last hurdle of the boys? 10-meter air rifle qualifying despite showing the way after 20 shots.

?He (Valdez) was No. 2 after the first 10 shots and was No.1 after 20,? said Binag. ?But when he saw the scores ... his performance suffered.?

Bowler Collins Jose also led the field after rolling 251 in the first game of the boys? masters.

The 17-year-old San Beda student, however, managed a 190 in the second and fell to seventh. He eventually won the bronze medal.

?It?s really mental more than anything else,? said Binag.

?Just one tiny mistake in this level of competition will cost you a medal,? said Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Steve Hontiveros.