WRESTLER Joseph Angana has been included in the lean Philippine delegation along with three muay fighters for the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar (Burma) next month.
Chef de mission Jeff Tamayo said the additional entries would bring the number of athletes to 207 and could still grow should three more last-minute aspirants from wushu get the nod.
Muay warriors Philip Belarmino, Jonathan Polosan and Preciosa Ocaya have been added to the list together with their coaches, Billy Alumno and Roland Claro.
According to sources, wushu’s Karisa Chan, Natasha Enriquez and Divine Wally (sanda) may be tapped to join the delegation in the games set Dec. 11 to 22.
Chan and Enriquez are duilian practitioners in the taolu art of forms while Wally is a silver medalist in women’s 48 kg in the 7th Asian Junior Wushu Championship held in Makati three months ago.
“We have yet to discuss the inclusion of additional athletes from wushu,” said Tamayo.
Tamayo said Angana, youngest sibling of two-time SEAG gold medalist Margarito Jr., got the go-signal after showing superb form in the team’s ongoing training in Iran.
Angana will join his brother along with two-time gold winner and flag-bearer Jason Balabal. Newcomers Alvin Lobrequito, Jhonny Morte and Noel Norada are also part of the team.
Also going to Burma are wushu bets Jessie Aligaga, Dembert Arcita, Francisco Solis, John Keithley Chan, Daniel Parantac, Evita Elisa Zamora and Norlence Ardee Catolico.