Could it be true that there will now be two Negros Occidental-based teams when the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Mumbaki Cup unfolds this year?
Buzzer Beater learned from the grapevine that there are some investors interested in putting up another Negrense team to join the Bacolod Master Sardines.
“Fingers cross that this will happen. Of course, it will be a great opportunity for the Negrenses to play in the MPBL,” the source said. “Having three or more Western Visayas teams will be a great boost for this region as well.”
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Although disappointed, Ilongga amateur boxer Irish Magno sees a silver lining
in the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from June this year to July 23
next year.
Magno vowed to use the opportunities
presented by the good side of the Summer Games’ postponement by training harder.
She hopes to create an impact in her first Olympics’ appearance.
“Nakakalungkot, pero okay lang po kasi mas mahabang preparation po ang nakuha namin dahil sa postponement,” Magno said.
She added: “Kasi ‘yun nga po. Pinaghahandaan ng buong team, especially ‘yung mga na-qualified na po. Pero priority po talaga sa ngayon ‘yung safety and health ng lahat nang athletes. Naiintindihan ko naman po.”
There are three other Filipino athletes
aside from Magno who already qualified for the Olympics. They are Magno’s
fellow boxer Eumir Marcial, world gymnastics champion Carlos Yulo and pole
vaulter EJ Obiena.
Magno outpointed Tajikistan’s Sumaiya Qosimova in a box-off of the Olympics’ qualifier
in Amman, Jordan last month to secure her ticket to Tokyo.
“Ngayon, mahirap po mag-training since naka-home quaratine po ang lahat. We’ll just wait na lang po na maging okay ang lahat para makapag-training na din po kami ng maayos,” she said.
“Self-training lang po muna, then wait na lang po ang sasabihin ng mga coaches after ng quarantine,” she added./PN
