‘Juico takes over Patafa Friday’

INCUMBENT athletics association president Go Teng Kok assured the Inquirer that former Philippine Sports Commission chair Philip Ella Juico would be installed as the new athletics chief by Friday.

Go, who has been at the helm of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) for 24 years, said that despite the efforts of certain quarters to abort or delay the July 25 election “so they could field their own candidates,” nothing will stop the process.

“They planned to disqualify Philip on the basis of some technicality, but they will not succeed,” Go said.

“Three international officials are flying to Manila to observe the elections. I have provided them with all the necessary documents to make sure the election is conducted smoothly, with no unforeseen hitches.”

His only prayer is that all 33 Patafa board members from all over the country will attend the election to “show their  support for the president whom they have worked with for over two decades.”

“That will make me very happy as I step down,” Go said.

Under his  watch, the Patafa won the most number of gold medals—six—in  the Burma (Myanmar) Southeast Asian Games last year. Go had predicted 10 but six was still better than any gold-medal medal take of the other NSAs.

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The last three seconds of the Gilas Pilipinas-China match for third place in the Fiba Asia Cup has been described as the same situation Paul Lee found himself in in Game 1 of the recent PBA best-of-five title series between San Mig Coffee and Rain or Shine.

Remember?

Briefly now: Lee was in the three-point area and fakes a shot. Marc Pingris jumps to foil it and then falls on Lee, but no foul was called. Had a foul been called, Lee could have converted  all three shots and RoS could have won Game 1 of the series. San Mig Coffee won by only two points.

“A call could have given us a good chance to win, the way Gilas did in China. But there was none,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said.

It was an identical situation, the coach said, adding he had envisioned Lee sinking all three charities against San Mig Coffee had a call been made.

“He’s the take-charge type of player you can depend on,” Guiao said.

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They claim it’s the largest indoor arena in the world and, from what we hear, there are plans to hold the opening day of the PBA’s 40th season at the Iglesia ni Cristo-owned Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

TV5’s Paul Mata said we can even expect a Barangay Ginebra-Kia game on opening day, with no less than boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao making his PBA debut there.