Palaro debut
Davraa 8-gold medalist archer Gacal to compete in 8 events
DAVAO Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2018 archery eightgold medalist Franceska Glen Gacal made use of yesterday’s holiday to train as she will make her Palarong Pambansa 2018 debut at the San Ildefonso Central Gym in Vigan City next week.
The 18-year-old Gacal, who is set to graduate from Senior High School at the Ateneo de Davao University on April 14, will leave for Vigan the next day, April 15, which is the day of the opening ceremonies. She will then see action in her first event on April 16, Monday, and will play every day since then until April 20, Friday.
When asked about her tight schedule leading to the Graduation Day and Palaro, Gacal said: “Kakayanin naman po. Graduation po eh wouldn’t miss it po.”
Gacal will compete in 30-meter distance, 40m distance, 50m distance, 60m distance, single Fita round, Olympic round individual, Olympic round mixed team and Olympic round team events.
Among the eight, her favorites include the Olympic round individual, mixed and team events.
Gacal, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao yesterday, however, said she does not want to give false hopes but will try to win medals as many as she could.
“I don’t really want to claim it out in the open, but I have my goals in mind. I don’t want people to expect but I’ll aim to deliver,” she said in her first Palaro stint.
The busy graduation requirements and college preparation, according to her, affected her training, saying: “I’ve been training but maybe not as rigorous as it should be. It’s been rocky since I wasn’t big on setting my priorities straight and on my time management in balancing my priorities, but I’ve been trying my best.”
Gacal also said she’ll try to shrug off the pressure.
“That’s what I’m thinking about. But to be honest po, I don’t want to think about it or to pres- sure myself na. Siguro the feeling will just come when I’m there na pero I don’t want to dwell on it,” she added.
The region’s archery team is also composed of Jazzmine Gura, Shella My Sojor, Kristine Medeline Ibag, Loel Estrada, Jeofill Carl Dacorro, John Arnold Suello and Craig Andrei Gimongala with coaches Sisenando Vidanes Jr. and Jonathan Rex Josol. Trinidad Anaviso is chaperone.
The first two batches of the 804-member Davraa delegation left Sunday and yesterday. The last batch is leaving today. From Davao International Airport, delegates will take a flight to Clark and will travel by land going to Vigan.
Davraa will try to improve its seventh overall finish in the Palaro last year.