SHAINA Nitura is being eyed as a possible late replacement for Dawn Macandili-Catindig in the Alas Pilipinas Women’s final 12 for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with the women's volleyball tournament set to start on September 16.
The potential change was reflected in the updated 447-athlete Philippine delegation list as of Friday, with Nitura now listed in the women’s volleyball roster and Catindig omitted.
READ: Nina Ytang completes Alas Asiad 12 as Erika Santos' replacement
The change, however, is not yet final, as the revised roster remains subject to approval by tournament organizers and would leave Alas Women with just one libero in Justine Jazareno.
Nitura's pending addition also expands the current outside hitter pool to four, which already includes Angel Canino, Bella Belen and Eya Laure.
If approved, it would be another major adjustment to an Alas Women side already reshaped by a last-minute change involving Niña Ytang, who was brought into the final 12 as a replacement for Erika Santos.
For Catindig, the potential withdrawal would mean missing out on a chance to return to the Asian Games after being one of only two holdovers from the Philippines’ last Asiad campaign in 2018, alongside team captain Jia de Guzman.
Nitura, meanwhile, would get another opportunity on the biggest stage of her young international career.
The reigning UAAP MVP had already been viewed as a potential piece of Alas’ Asian Games roster despite missing the national team’s recent SEA V.Cup campaign because of injury.
Nitura sat out both legs of the competition while recovering from a left foot injury, but maintained that the setback was minor and that she was working her way back.
“Yung injuries naman, very minor naman siya. As of now, recovering ako and soon, I'll be back,” Nitura told SPIN.ph back in August.
At the time, the Adamson captain had already kept the door open for an Asian Games return, saying she was willing to take the opportunity if selected.
That possibility now appears to be moving closer to reality.
Nitura's return would also give head coach Taka Minowa another attacking option as Alas Women prepares for a difficult Group A assignment against nine-time Asian Games champion China and Kazakhstan in the country's first Asiad women's volleyball stint in eight years.
The potential changes are not limited to the women’s side as three Alas Men players in Greg Ancheta, Lirick Mendoza and Josh Magalaman are also uncertain for the Asian Games, although the reasons behind their status have yet to be clarified.
All three were part of the POC-submitted men's roster released earlier this month.
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