Ni ANNIE ABAD
PORMAL nang binuksan ang pagsisismula ng 15th Xiangqi World championship kahapon sa Manila Hotel Centennial Hall.
Pinasinayaan ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez ang nasabing kompetisyon kasama ng Presidente ng Hongkong Olympic Committee at World Xiangqi Federation president Timothy Fock at ilang pang mga opisyales kabilang si Philippine Xiangqi Federation President Wilson Tan.
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Ang nasabing Chinese chess event kung saan patalasan ng kaisipan ang labanan ay nilahukan ng 25 bansa.
“It is a mind game. Chinese are known for our strategical way of solving things. So that’s how this game will go and we are also going to present the culture of Chinese with this game. Like when you are at the park, trying to be relaxed and playing Xiangqi over a cup of tea,” pahayag ni Fock.
Ayon sa kanya pinili nila ang Pilipinas na maging venue dahil sa natural na ganda nito at mga lugar na maaring pagdaosan ng nasabing kompetisyon dahil na rin sa popularidad ng sports sa Filipino-Chinese community.
“ This community is very generous. Aside from this hotel (Manila Hotel) is my favorite hotel. I used to go here when I was a kid with my mom and my dad,” aniya.
Plano rin ng HOC na magsagawa ng seminars at sports clinics upang mas matutunan ang sports na anyon kay Fock ay bahagi ng Asian Games sa 2022.
Ikinatuwa naman ni PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez ang pagsasagawa ng nasabing kompetisyon sa bansa. “I was rushing to go here to Manila Hotel to meet a friend. It is an honor for the Philippines for this competition to be staged here, we’re very happy for this,” ani Ramirez.
