JOHN MARK TOKONG and six other athletes will aim for berths to the World Beach Games when they compete in the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games short board competitions starting Thursday at the Surf City in El Salvador.
Joining Tokong, according to United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) President Dr. Jose Raul Canlas, are Philmar Alipayo, Noah Arkfeld, Bjorn Pabon, John Carby and lady surfers Nilbie Blancada and Vea Estrellado.
“We’re now praying that we have four more surfers who’ll qualify for the World Games,” Canlas told BusinessMirror on Wednesday. “It’s going to be an exciting week for all of us, but guarded optimism that we will qualify to World Beach Games in Bali.”
The UPSA already qualified Rogelio Esquivel and Aping Agudo after making the top four of the recent ISA longboard championships also in El Salvador.
The short board action runs until Tuesday and will determine who will qualify for the World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, set from August 5 to 12.
“My preparations have really improved so I really feel good at the moment,” Tokong said. “I just plan to keep my confidence high and continue to focus on the goal.”
Canlas is the country’s chef de mission to the World Beach Games.
