Handball seeks SEA Games inclusion

Two Philippine handball teams take part in the International Handball Federation Trophy tournament in Malaysia later this month, raring to prove the sport deserves inclusion in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games calendar.

A juniors team (for players born in 1998 or later), and a Youth squad (born in 2000 or later), fly out to Kuala Lumpur for the April 16 to 22 event as the Philippine Handball Federation continues to lobby for a spot in the Manila Games.

The KL tournament is considered the region’s age-group championship, and snaring a medal there would mean the country is capable of winning in the 2019 SEA Games.

“It is in these divisions (Junior and Youth) that we have the strongest chance [of winning medals],” said Jay Adalem, the PHF secretary general.

The Philippines bagged bronze in the SEA Beach Handball held in Dumaguete last year. In 2010, the country also salvaged bronze in a women’s indoor event held in Thailand,  the country’s first international competition.

“The objective is to contribute to the goal of winning the overall championship for the Philippines [in the SEA Games] and to raise the profile of handball in the Philippines,” said PH coach Jana Franquelli.

The sport is under Category 2 of the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee priority sports because it is played both in the Asian Games and Olympics.

“We asked for more flexibility in considering handball, we want to contribute and we hope to be given the chance,” Franquelli added.

The POC and the PSC are currently in the selection process of which sports are to be calendared for the 2019 Games, hoping to maximize the country’s chances of duplicating its 2005 feat when it won its first and so far, only overall title.

The PHF is holding year-round clinics and tournaments while beach handball is included in next month’s National Beach Games in Pangasinan.