The Philippine national fencing team hopes to train in other countries before competing in the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
Coach Rolando Canlas admitted that he planned for the team to train in South Korea for a month, and in Hong Kong for two weeks before the multi-sports event in November in Hanoi, Vietnam.
However, Canlas said that had to think of other plans due to the mandatory quarantine period set by Hong Kong and South Korea to avoid 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) infection.
"Grabe yung quarantine. Iyon yung papatay sa atin, yung quarantine. Like yung Hong Kong, 21 days," the national team coach said on Tuesday, May 4, during the virtual forum of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
"14 days quarantine naman sila (South Korea). Yung nagpunta lang kami ng isang buwan, grabe na yung ginastos namin doon. Tapos isasama mo pa yung quarantine," he added.
Canlas said that he is also looking into inviting around 12 fencers from South Korea to train with the Philippine national team when the squad resumes training in Ormoc, Leyte.
"Mas mura iyon. Yung Plan B is mag-send ng Korean fencers dito sa Ormoc para may makalaban kami na malalakas," Canlas explained.
Canlas plans for the national team to compete in tournaments in Chinese Taipei, particularly the Asian Under-23 Fencing Championships and the Taipei Open, before the SEA Games.
