SISI Rondina remained fully committed to Philippine women’s beach volleyball team’s gold medal bid in the 31st Southeast Asia Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next year but isn't closing the door on a return to the indoor game.
It’s been two years since Rondina last saw action in indoor volleyball, not since leading University of Santo Tomas to the UAAP Season 81 Finals and playing for the defunct Petron side in the Philippine Superliga 2019 season.The 25-year-old spiker reiterated that she and her partner Bernadeth Pons are focused on bringing glory to the Philippines in beach volleyball.“For me kasi, nagusap kami ni Pons [and] we’re not closing our door sa indoor [game]. Yung coaches namin alam nila yun. Gusto talaga namin for now is beach volley,” Rondina bared in a SPIN.ph Zoom In episode.
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“Yung reason bakit we’re still here sa beach volley, lalong lalo na kami ni Pons, kasi pagkasuot pa lang ng medal sa amin naniniwala kami na kaya namin mag-gold. Yun ang mindset namin after namin mag-bronze.”The four-time UAAP beach volleyball champion and MVP said their bronze medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games held in Subic inspired her and fellow national players to give their full commitment to the sport.
“Iba din kasi yung pamilyang nabuo namin. Iisa lang kami ng goal, alam namin yung priorities namin at commitment namin. Gusto din talaga namin mag-gold. Siyempre tatrabahuin pa din namin yan,” she said.From a forgettable 2020 where they were limited to online trainings and strength and conditioning, the 5-foot-6 hitter had a fruitful year with Pons after sweeping the two legs of Beach Volleyball Republic in Sta. Ana, Cagayan last October.
thet also marked their return to international competition by reaching the semifinal stage of the AVC Continental Cup last June and Asian Senior Women Beach Volleyball Championship last month, both in Thailand.The ‘SiPons’ tandem missed the round of 16 of their last Asian tilt but won a set against Japan before yielding in three sets and got swept by Thailand and finished with a lone win in Pool D over New Zealand. Their counterparts from Pool B, Dij Rodriguez and Gen Eslapor, reached the knockout stage but lost to New Zealand.Rondina said they gained a lot from their Asian Seniors experience, seeing Thailand’s vast-improvement and Japan’s impressive composure.
“The way they (Japan) handled the pressure sa game sobrang nakaka-amaze. Managed nila lahat gusto mong sundin yun, ako gusto ko maging ganun yung way ng paglalaro ko,” she said.
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