THERE will be no easing into the 20th Asian Games for Alas Pilipinas.
The Philippine men's and women's indoor volleyball teams were handed unforgiving group-stage assignments after the official draw was held Thursday for the Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan, with both squads drawing some of Asia's perennial contenders right off the bat.
The women's squad, back in the Asiad for the first time since placing eighth in the 2018 Jakarta edition, faces an immediate mountain to climb.
Bannered by a revitalized roster under Japanese head coach Taka Minowa and captain Jia de Guzman, Alas will take on nine-time Asian Games champion China, the tournament's winningest team in ruling over all but two of the last 11 editions.
Joining them in the same pool is Kazakhstan, which finished runner-up to Vietnam in the 2024 AVC Nations Cup held in Manila.
Alas out the gates
The men's team won't have it any easier.
Alas Men drew reigning Asiad silver medalist China, 2018 silver medalist Korea, and 2018 bronze medalist Chinese-Taipei in a stacked pool that will immediately put the Filipinos to the test.
The tournament also marks the next major assignment for Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni following the Philippines' breakthrough campaign in the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship on home soil
Both Filipino sides will have to navigate those daunting group-stage hurdles to keep their hopes of advancing alive in the continental showcase.
The women's tournament will be played from September 16 to 22, while the men's competition is set from September 27 to October 3.
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