Matthew Dellavedova. Photo by Randolph B. Leongson/ INQUIRER.net
Representing his country has always been the greatest goal in the mind of Matthew Dellavedova.
That’s why he couldn’t help but feel that overwhelming sense of pride whenever he suits up for the Australian Boomers in the international tournaments.
“My dream growing up was to represent Australia in the Olympic Games,” Dellavedova said Friday at the opening of the Peak Store at Robinson’s Place Manila in Ermita.
“Ever since I watched my first Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta on TV, just to pull on the green and gold for me is always been a dream. To hear our national anthem play in the Olympic Games is a moment I’ll never forget.”
.@matthewdelly talks about fulfilling his Olympic dream. pic.twitter.com/62dslYmB2l
— Randolph B. Leongson (@RLeongsonINQ) July 21, 2017
“Delly,” as he is fondly called, is visiting the Philippines for the first time for the launch of his shoe line Delly 1 with Peak.
This, though, won’t be Dellavedova’s last as he is expected to suit up for Australia for the 2019 Fiba World Cup qualifiers.
Australia is slotted in Group B, together with the Philippines, in the Asia-Pacific qualification and Gilas is set to host the Boomers in the home-and-away series on July 2 next year.
Dellavedova shared that he already has an idea on how our national team plays, having faced the Philippines back in the 2014 Bleu Blanc Tour in France in the lead up to the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain.
“We played against the Philippines in a tournament in France a couple years ago. They’re very quick, a lot of dribble penetration, a lot of three-point shooting, so you really have to guard your man one-on-one,” he said.
But with the game still over a year in the making, Dellavedova would rather enjoy the scenery in his first visit, knowing that the next time he sets foot in the Philippines, fans will be out to intimidate him and the rest of the Boomers.
“I’m looking forward to traveling around different countries and playing. It’s gonna make it tough because in the two (competition) windows, the NBA guys won’t be able to play. But I’m looking forward to coming back here in July,” he said.