ABAP nominates 21 to elite athletes pool

Source: Manila Bulletin
By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) has nominated 21 boxers, including four women, for inclusion in the elite pool of athletes for the 2010 Asian Games in November in Guangzhou, China.

This was disclosed Wednesday by Commissioner Eric Loretizo who added that the PSC board will convene next week to discuss possible additions to the current pool of 13 athletes.

Boxing remains the country’s biggest source of medals in the Asian Games. Four years ago, Violito Payla and Joan Tipon captured gold medals in Doha, Qatar.

Loretizo declined to name the candidates, although the list is expected to include all gold medalists in the last Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

“What makes it interesting in the men’s list is that it is a combination of newcomers and veteran athletes? Even some of the upcoming boxers are relatives of the veterans, so it’s a good thing because they have a background of the sport,” Loretizo said.

So far, 13 athletes have only been included in the elite pool: Marestela Torres in athletics, Miguel Molina and Daniel Coakley in swimming, Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero in taekwondo, Wesley So, Joey Antonio and Darwin Laylo in chess, Cecil Mamiit and Treat Huey in tennis, Biboy Rivera in bowling, Annie Albania in boxing and Marna Pabillore in karatedo.

The elite athletes will be receiving P20,000 monthly stipend apart from financial backing for their foreign exposures.