‘Why buy new set of paddles?’

MANILA—It could be the paddles.   Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia on Tuesday suggested that the national men’s and women’s dragon boat teams keep the same set of paddles they used in Monday’s performance trials to make the grade for the Guangzhou Asian Games.   The RP paddlers registered exceptional clockings in the trials held at the La Mesa Dam, too impressive in fact that they beat the best times in the 2008 Dragonboat Asian Championships in Penang, Malaysia.   “They surpassed the records, and based on their performance, the clockings were almost two minutes faster than the standard time,” said Garcia.   The PSC chief said the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation requested for a new set of paddles for the 44 members of the men’s and women’s teams.   The equipment, Garcia said, costs about P550,000.   “If I were them, I will just use the old paddles,” he said. “They have to break in the new paddles and it will take time. As for the old paddles, they are already used to it. They could deliver medals [using the old paddles] if they register the same clockings.”   In the 200 meters alone, the men’s crew clocked 41.88 seconds and hurdled the qualifying time of 47.74. It bettered Indonesia’s gold-medal effort (42.15) in the Asian Championship.   The lady paddlers were equally impressive, finishing the 200m trial in 46.85 seconds, toppling the standard of 49.07 in the Asian Championship.   The Philippine Olympic Committee set the bronze-medal clocking in the Asian Championship as its standard.