Premier Volley League vows better serving in 2nd tourney WITH the inaugural pro volley tournament served out, the organizing Sports Vision is working on a better, trouble-free staging when the next Premier Volleyball League conference is held later this year. While the just-concluded Open Conference was far from being ideal given the prevailing Covid-19 conditions and quarantine restrictions, its staging in a “bubble” setup was par for the course with Sports Vision to build on its gains to ensure a smoother conduct of the tournament the next time around. “We’re happy we’re able to hold it successfully,” said Sports Vision president Ricky Palou. “With God’s mercy, we survived all the challenges. Besides, all teams were very cooperative. They made sure the players were kept safe. So everything worked out well.” Palou also thanked the Ilocos Norte government, particularly Gov. Matthew Manotoc, for hosting the launch of the country’s first pro volley league although the tournament had to be moved from the Centennial Arena in Laoag City to the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra due to the surge of coronavirus cases in the provincial capital. But as the highly contagious Delta variant ushers in another deadly wave, Sports Vision was forced to further compress the five-week schedule towards the end of the elims to the finals to meet the Aug. 16 deadline before the host province is placed under ECQ. “We discussed the issue with the teams, which in turn agreed to finish the whole thing,” said Palou. “So, we decided to do away with the rest day(s) to comply with the time limits.” The tight schedule, however, took its toll on some teams, particularly Choco Mucho, whose key player Maddie Madayag suffered a knee injury following a bad landing during Game One of their best-of-three series for third with Petro Gazz. The team skipper took to social media to air her sentiments and frustrations. “It is unfortunate that despite the intensive strengthening and training done prior to the league had to be negated all because of a rushed schedule,” said Madayag, who also sustained an ACL tear in 2016, in her post. “It pains me to have incurred such a heartbreaking injury when all I did before the competition was to take care of my body to avoid getting hurt.” Injuries have been few and far between during the course of the monthlong bubble tournament. Other injuries incurred were minor, namely Jeanette Panaga of Creamline (ankle), Shola Alvarez of PLDT (ankle), and Rachel Daquis of Cignal (groin).
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TOUGH GRIND. Manny Pacquiao continues his training at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach on Sunday. He challenges Yordenis Ugas for the World Boxing Association super welterweight belt at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Aug. 21. (Aug. 22 in Philippines)
POC chief wants new velodrome for athletes By Peter Atencio
tan,” said Tolentino. The last time that the velodrome was seriously used for competition was back REPARING and training national athletes at the in the 2013 when the POC-PSC PhilipAmoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City is no pine National Games was held. The complex, which was inaugurated longer advisable as the condition of the 5.8-hectare in 1966 by then President Ferdinand Marfacility, neglected over the last eight years, has fallen cos, was used back in 2005 as a venue for below international standards. the Southeast Asian Games. It was last used four years ago, when Philippine Olympic Committee presi- explained that the current length of a national cyclists were still quartered indent Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said regular velodrome measures around side the sports complex. They rarely got he has discussed the status of the velo- 250 meters and is built inside an indoor a chance to practice in the steeply banked drome with the Philippine Sports Com- stadium. oval tracks. mission a number of times. The POC chief said PSC chairman WilAt that time, there were reports that a re“Ang Amoranto ay hindi na puwede. liam Ramirez has already talked to him ligious group were allowed to hold prayer Indoor na kasi ngayon. Sisirain na lang about this concern. rallies in the velodrome thrice a week. ito. Wala na kasing ganitong size ang giTolentino hopes that a new velodrome Two years ago, Tolentino was into talks nagamit,” said Tolentino, who also heads will be constructed and incorporated in- with International Cycling Union presithe Integrated Cycling Federation of the side a multipurpose venue. dent David Lappartient on the construcPhilippines (PhilCycling). “Yung gitna ng velodrome can be used tion of a modern velodrome, which could Tolentino, who spoke about this dur- for other sports like gymnastics. be put up in Tagaytay City or at the New mapaggagami- Clark City in Capas, Tarlac ing the weekly show, The Chasedown, Maraming
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POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino
Globe Games, Esports continue to thrive, fuel passion in pandemic IN every difficult situation, there is an opportunity. While the global health crisis forced people to stay in quarantine, it also opened the doors for digital Esports and new gaming content that help continue to fuel the passion of gamers and Esports enthusiasts. Nikko Acosta, Globe SVP and Head of Content Business Group, said that from minimal share of content traffic three years ago, Games and Esports went up to more than double in year-on-year traffic growth. This could be attributed to the availability of the proper device, strong connection to internet services, and an impressive portfolio of games to choose from today. League of Legends Wildrift alone already reached 90% of its topline monthly target due to the wireless availability of the game, an area of access that was not available in the past. “Enjoying your passion doesn’t mean it will go away with this pandemic. The
Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor
nice thing about being online is that as long as you have the time, you’ll be able to invest properly. And since you’re at home, you can also connect to your friends and community to be able to play together,” Acosta said. He added: “The past year-and-a-half has been an opportunity for us. With the right distribution, with the right pricing, with the right infrastructure, we believed the players would come, and they wouldn’t only come, they would stay. And that is something that we’re proud of.” For Esports, while the core experience of a tournament is being physically present to experience it with other players and supporters, Acosta said Esports remains resilient and easy to migrate online fully. A global phenomenon even before COVID-19, Esports is currently slowly working its way back into the current environment as well According to him, Globe has created a
Nikko Acosta, Globe SVP for Content Business
digital community to allow fans to watch the tournaments right in the comforts of their homes but still be able to engage with other viewers through chat. “We do the same with fervor and tenacity to set Esports up, but we do it online. And we have the promise that someday when things open up with the proper safety protocols, we can go back to including our offline events. Esports is thriving because we can create a community digitally. And someday it will be both digital and offline,” Acosta said. Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles. To learn more, please visit https://www. globe.com.ph/.
PH Youth Team 3rd overall in world wrestling tilt
Members of the PH team that finished third overall in the United World Wrestling Junior and Cadets World Grappling Championships held in Russia are shown here.
THE Philippine Youth Team garnered nine medals to finish third overall in the United World Wrestling Junior and Cadets World Grappling Championships held over the weekend at the Ufa Arena in Ufa, Russia. Gabriel del Rosario accounted for two of the country’s three silvers in the event that gathered the rising stars of 10 participating countries. Competing in the cadets 46kgs, del Rosario settled for silver in the Gi and NoGi events while Iloilo’s
David Zaldarriaga took the silver in Gi event in the Cadets 42kgs apart from clinching the bronze in NoGi event. Alonso Lucas Aguilar, son of URCC founder and Philippine Wrestling Federation president Alvin Aguilar, bagged the bronze in both the Gi and NoGi events in the Cadets 50kgs. Also producing two bronze medals was Joaquin Antonio Marte in Cadets 58kgs while Fierre Afan got his bronze in the Gi event of Cadets 85kgs
Clippers to get Bledsoe, release Rondo, Beverley LOS ANGELES—The NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers will acquire point guard Eric Bledsoe from Memphis in a deal sending Rajon Rondo and Patrick Beverley to the Grizzlies, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. Citing an unnamed source, the newspaper said the Clippers would part with veteran guards Beverley and Rondo, as well as second-year center Daniel Oturu, in the trade. Bledsoe, 31, is an 11-year NBA veteran with career averages of 14.0 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game last season in 71 games with the New Orleans Pelicans. Bledsoe launched his NBA career with the Clippers, playing three seasons with them before he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in July 2013. Bledsoe landed in Memphis earlier this month in a three-team deal involving the Pelicans, Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets. ESPN reported the deal will save the Clippers $30 million in the NBA luxury tax and create an $8.3 million traded-player exception they will have a year to use. Beverley, 33, was the longesttenured Clippers player, having arrived from Houston as part of a blockbuster trade for Chris Paul in 2017. The Clippers had acquired Rondo, an NBA champion with Boston in 2008 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, at the trade deadline from the Atlanta Hawks last season.
