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Filipino athletes reflect on Asian Games campaign

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Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt=" Filipino athletes who competed in the 19th Asian Games pose with sports officials after a press conference in Makati City. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/10/08/20231008-medals.jpg"/><figcaption>Filipino athletes who competed in the 19th Asian Games pose with sports officials after a press conference in Makati City. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Filipino athletes had mixed responses to their campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where the country finished 17th overall.The Philippines brought home a total of four gold medals, two silvers, and 12 bronzes, once again showcasing their athletic excellence and competitive spirit on the international stage.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/08/23/ph-ends-19th-asiad-campaign-with-4-gold-medals">PH ends 19th Asiad campaign with 4 gold medals</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/08/23/gilas-glory-to-chopra-five-asian-games-performances">Philippines basketball glory to Chopra: five Asian Games performances</a></li></ul>Three of the gold medalists -- pole vaulter EJ Obiena and jiu-jitsu fighters Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez -- faced the press on Sunday along with other athletes and sports officials in Makati City.Ochoa, who trained in San Diego, USA, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to extend her training camp and learn from her finals match training partner from the United Arab Emirates.&quot;I saw that as an opportunity to learn and it seems like naging maganda naman ang naging result ng opportunity na &#x27;yun,&quot; said Ochoa, who encouraged her fellow Filipinos to try the sport.&quot;Sa lahat ng gustong mag try ng jiu jitsu sana nainspire kayo na masubukan yung sport na to kasi para sa ating mga Pinoy ito,&quot; Ochoa said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/06/23/annie-ramirez-grapples-way-to-phs-3rd-asiad-gold">Annie Ramirez grapples way to PH&#x27;s 3rd Asian Games gold</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/05/23/meggie-ochoa-nabs-phs-2nd-asiad-gold">Meggie Ochoa clinches PH&#x27;s 2nd Asiad gold</a></li></ul>Ferdie Agustin, the President of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation, expressed his hope for the sport&#x27;s growth in the country.&quot;Actually upon consultation with the Philippine Sports Commission it&#x27;s already in the drawing board right now to start with our grass roots program and we&#x27;re expecting to kick that off by early next year,&quot; Agustin said.Obiena, for his part, plans to work on projects to give back where he started.&quot;I&#x27;m also very blessed to be in a position where I&#x27;m able to get some endorsement from some brands to able to represent also commercially,&quot; Obiena said.Terry Capistrano, the President of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), commended Obiena&#x27;s exceptional season, with two 6-meter marks, proving his capabilities in the field.&quot;I think the young man has accomplished what he&#x27;s supposed to do..this year 2023 he came out guns blazing and achieved what he had to do,&quot; Capistrano said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/30/23/ej-obiena-sets-new-asian-games-record-en-route-to-gold">EJ Obiena sets new Asian Games record en route to gold</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/06/23/obiena-gets-p10m-reward-for-asian-games-gold">Obiena gets P10M reward from Filipino-Chinese benefactors for Asiad gold</a></li></ul>The Philippine Sepak Takraw team made history by winning their first medal in the Asian Games after 33 years of inclusion.&quot;Tuloy ang training ng team for the upcoming World Cup namin tsaka Sea Games. Hopefully the same team will deliver a better color of medal in Nagoya, Japan in 2026,&quot; said Karen Caballero, the President of the Philippine Sepak Takraw Federation Inc.Eumir Marcial, the silver medalist in boxing, shared his plans to return to the United States to compete professionally.&quot;Malaking bagay na bumalik muna ako sa pro para tuloy tuloy yung training ko, madagdagan yung experience ko,&quot; Marcial said.Marcial expressed his disappointment at not winning the gold medal.&quot;Nalungkot din ako kasi akala ko rin ako yung mananalo sa laban and yun yung naging result,&quot; he said.&quot;Kailangan kong irespeto yung desisyon ng judges at tanggapin at paghandaan yung susunod na laban,&quot; he added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/05/23/marcial-settles-for-silver-as-chinese-foe-wins-via-decision">Marcial settles for silver as Chinese foe wins via decision</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/06/23/marcial-shifts-focus-to-olympics-the-gold-is-in-paris">Marcial shifts focus to Olympics: The gold is in Paris</a></li></ul>He also revealed that before the Asian Games, he had prayed to God to win the gold medal, but instead, he received the silver. Marcial believes that there may be a reason behind this.&quot;Narinig pa rin niya yung dasal ko kasi sa mga Pilipino ako yung gold eh. May reason bakit ito &#x27;yung nakuha ko. Baka the gold is in Paris,&quot; said Marcial, referring to his aspirations for the upcoming Olympic Games in 2024.Marcus Manalo, the Secretary-General of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), acknowledged that there is room for improvement and discussed the challenges of the training program leading up to the Asian Games.&quot;Definitely we could have done better. Isa sa mga binalikan namin is yung training program rin… Actually ang problema yata namin is we had a bit too much also leading to the Asian Games,&quot; he said.&quot;We had Asian Championships and World Championships then SEA [Southeast Asian] Games, Asian Games na magkakadikit. Medyo may mga nag break down na na mga katawan leading to the Asian Games,&quot; he added.Lastly, Patrick Coo, the bronze medalist in BMX racing, recounted the difficulties he faced during his first moto, where he had a crash that left him with a hole in his pants.&quot;I was pretty much at the bottom of the list for points. It seemed a little hopeless but to be honest... But [I] finished pretty strong… To be honest the adrenaline just took over,&quot; Coo said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/04/23/pinay-cyclist-fails-doping-test-in-asian-games">Pinay cyclist fails doping test in Asian Games</a></li></ul><div> RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2834718" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Filipino athletes had mixed responses to their campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where the country finished 17th overall.

Filipino athletes reflect on Asian Games campaign

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Filipino athletes reflect on Asian Games campaign

Izzy Lee,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 09, 2023 12:28 AM PHT

Read More:

Asian Games

19th Asian Games

Team Philippines

EJ Obiena

jiu-jitsu

boxing

Eumir Marcial

pole vault

Meggie Ochoa

Annie Ramirez

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