Makakaharap ng Alas Pilipinas ang world No. 1 at defending champion China sa kanilang unang laban sa FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship sa Biyernes ng 8 a.m. (oras sa Pilipinas)sa Liceo Mixto San Felipe.
Ang iba pa nilang makakalaban sa Pool B ay Mexico, Peru, Tunisia at Venezuela.
Tatlong venue ang pagdarausan ng 24-team tournament, kung saan ang Pool A at Pool C ay lalaruin sa Santiago, habang ang Pool D ay gaganapin sa Los Andes.
Pangungunahan ng host na Chile ang Pool A, kasama ang Czechia, Egypt, Thailand, Turkiye at USA.
Ang world No. 2 na Japan ang mangunguna sa Pool C, na kinabibilangan ng Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Spain at Poland
Ang ikatlong ranggong Italy ay napabilang sa Pool D kasama ang Korea, Algeria, Dominican Republic at Puerto.
Matapos ang 32-oras na biyahe, dumating ang Alas Pilipinas sa Santiago, Chile noong Martes.
Inimbitahan ni Philippine Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat ang koponan sa isang masaganang tanghalian.
Sina Caera Celis, Jhaynna Love Bulandres, Irish May Mahinay at ang iba pang miyembro ng koponan ng Pilipinas ay taos-pusong tinanggap ang paanyaya.
Kasama rin sa koponan sina Megan Yesha Hernandez, Xyz Ellen Rayco, Sharina Rhyza Lleses, Princess Khaira Manzano, Frances Dianne Ramos, Resty Jane Olaguir, Jello Andrea Mauricio, Nadeth Faye Herbon, Cristina Madela Gale, Jhenica Sadia at Taj Arkhea Teves.
“It’s wonderful how sports is part of your life as young women. Sports help develop your character. It instills discipline in you. It instills grit in you. It helps you deal with setbacks in life because you know life is not all about wins. You also have to learn to have the grace to face defeat,” ani Vinzon-Balatbat sa isang pahayag.
“These experiences are absolutely valuable in forming who you will be in the future. We will be there to cheer you on. I know your opponent is strong, but so was David’s.”
Positibo ang pananaw ni voach Edwin Leyva sa naging mahabang byahe patungong Chile.
“Hopefully, with the long flight, the players mad3 up for lost time and bonded a bit,” ani Leyva.
“We didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for this, but we did our best in the short time we had, and I believe in this team. We have good players and we are confident we can do better than our last tournament.”
Ang Alas Girls ay nagtapos sa fifth place sa Asian Volleyball Confederation U16 Championship kaya umabot sa world championship.
“We hope the country would support us, pray for us. We’ll give our best and put up a good fight for the country,” ani Leyva.