TOP RP GYMNAST UNDER AGE FOR ASIAD
Manila, Sept. 5, 1998 - Pia Adelle Reyes, the Filipina gymnast who became 1997 Athlete of the Year for her stunning performance in the Jakarta SEA Games, will likely miss the Asian Games set this December in Bangkok because of age ineligibility.
Though only 14 years old, Reyes is acknowledged as the country's premiere gymnast but the Asiad limits competing gymnasts to be at least 15 years old.
Monina Sugay, Gymnastic Association of the Philippines (GAP) secretary general, said their appeal to the Bangkok Asiad organizers seems to have fallen on deaf ears. "We are trying to ask Bangkok organizers to waive the age limit for Pia, reasoning that this is a good opportunity for our athlete to compete with the best in Asia. We made that request last February and are awaiting a reply from them until now," said Sugay.
Reyes caught the country's attention when she bagged three gold medals in the Jakarta SEA Games -- two individual and one team. She was named co-Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters' Association in 1997, sharing the honor with pro boxer Gerry Penalosa.
Sugay said the final composition of the gymnastic team to the Asiad will be known after GAP's November tryouts. Three other gymnasts, two of them training in the US, will likely take the place of Reyes in the squad.
They are Cintamoni de la Cruz, a gold medalist in the 1993 Chiang Mai SEA Games, and currently on a gymnsatic scholarship at the Fullerton COllege; and Filipino-American Gera Lopez. Training here in the Philippines is Lysette Duco, a teammate of Reyes in the RP squad which won the team gold in Jakarta last year.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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