Philippine handball teams aim for SEA Games medal after beach championships success

The Philippine handball teams are preparing for upcoming regional and continental tournaments this year following their success at the Southeast Asian Beach Handball Championships where they won gold and bronze medals.

National team head coach Gab De Guzman and strength and conditioning coach Rafael Andrew Agtarap expressed optimism about the country's chances of winning a first-ever SEA Games medal in handball, citing recent successes as positive indicators.

The men's team secured its first ever beach handball gold by defeating Vietnam in the final match, while the women's side won bronze at the recent championships held in Suphanburi, Thailand.

Both coaches believe that despite only indoor handball being played at the upcoming SEA Games from December 9-20 in Thailand, the Philippines can compete with traditional powerhouses like Vietnam and Thailand.

Agtarap noted that the experience gained at the SEA beach handball championships will serve as a benchmark for improvement ahead of the Southeast Asian Games and emphasized the importance of training camps for player development before the 10th Asian Men's and Women's Beach Championship in Muscat, Oman from May 1-10.