Tag: podium

De Brito says Alas has ‘enough time’ in bid for SEA Games podium

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Alas Pilipinas in a huddle during the FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup.-MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — After facing powerhouse Vietnam in the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup, Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Souza De Brito is not looking too far ahead in their medal quest in next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

Vietnam, led by Thi Bich Tuyen Nguyen’s 30-point explosion, asserted its mastery of the Philippines,  25-14, 25-22, 25-21, on Friday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium to advance to the Challenger Cup semifinal and move two wins away from qualifying to next year’s Volleyball Nations League.

Losing to the region’s powerhouse anew, De Brito is not yet gauging Alas’ chances of ending a 20-year medal drought in the biennial meet next year as he focuses on developing the pool he has, hoping to add more players and keep the program intact for the 2025 SEA Games.

READ: Jia De Guzman stresses on continuity for Alas Pilipinas

“It’s far to think but there’s still time to work [with these players]. We have one and a half years to do that. Enough time, if we’re supported by the clubs and the schools, then we can do it,” the Brazilian coach told reporters.

“We need the support from the fans, clubs, companies, UAAP board, PVL board, and team owners. All of us are part of the Philippine environment so we need to work together. We’re not gonna win, we’re not going to get better without the support.”

De Brito admitted Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are still the top three squads in the region. That’s why he seeks to make the most of the longer preparation time with the new breed of national players. 

“It’s always a challenge for us but we’re trying to improve also. What we have to do is play hard and hard and minimize the distance between the No. 4 to No. 3 and then be able to beat them. It’s not a long way but it’s hard. Every step is really hard,” he said.

Despite a one-and-done Challenger Cup stint, De Brito was still pleased with the performance of his team after Vietnam fielded Trần Thị Thanh Thúy in her first game since her injury to stave off Alas’ gallant stand in the last two sets.

READ: Alas Pilipinas loses to Vietnam, bows out of FIVB Challenger Cup

“When you see your opponent putting their best player to play, it means that you’re going up that’s what I told my players inside, we did a good job that they have to put their first six to play against us,” De Brito said.

Alas will have a two-week training camp in Japan starting on July 14 before they face their SEA Games rivals in the SEA V League in August.

The Brazilian coach, who steered the Philippines with an AVC Challenge Cup bronze medal last May, hopes to have this training pool and add more players for the program’s continuity.



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“What we really have to do is this training camp in Japan will help us but also we need to have our players more time together to work so we can add something in the system that would be applicable. It’s a step-by-step process,” he said. 

“Hopefully, we can keep these players since we have 14 days in Japan to practice. We’ll be better, you can make some changes, chemistry will be better because every single day we’ll train together two times a day. It’s good, much better.”

Verstappen wins Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton returns to podium

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Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium winning the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya on June 23, 2024 in Montmelo, on the outskirts of Barcelona. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday after a decisive early move and an “aggressive strategy” from Red Bull to deny McLaren’s pole-sitter Lando Norris and extend his lead in the world championship.

Lewis Hamilton completed the podium at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit as the Mercedes seven-time former champion returned to the podium for the first time since Mexico last season.

The racing may be closer than the past two seasons but Verstappen always seems to pull it out of the bag when it matters most.

READ: F1: Max Verstappen aims for another win at Spanish Grand Prix

This was his 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track where he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016.

And it pushed him another step further to a fourth straight title with Austria and Silverstone coming up over the next two weekends.

“I think what made the race was at the beginning I took the lead on lap two and that’s where I had my buffer,” said the 26-year-old.

“I think we did everything well, we drove an aggressive strategy but luckily it paid off until the end. Very happy to win here.”

Fourth-placed George Russell in the other Mercedes enjoyed a stunning start.

With Verstappen to the left of Norris, and Russell to the right of him in the charge into the first turn at the end of the long straight, the pole-sitter came out the loser.

As Norris grappled with Verstappen it was Russell, unsighted, who pulled out from fourth on the grid to take command.

“I got a bad start. As simple as that. The car was incredible today, we were for sure the quickest, I just lose it in the beginning,” rued Norris, who climbed into second in the drivers’ standings for the first time in his career.

Ferrari-bound Hamilton, who received a huge cheer from the Catalan crowd on the podium, said: “Unfortunately, like Lando, I got a really bad start.

“It’s been a solid weekend, I have to say a big thank you to the team as they’ve been training so hard on the pit-stops and the strategy, and they were on point.”

Verstappen raced in second from Norris with Hamilton in fourth.

Two laps later, at the end of the straight, Verstappen made his race-winning move.

READ: F1: Verstappen wins ‘crazy’ rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix

He was told by his race engineer this “might be our best opportunity Max” and the Dutch ace needed no second invitation, producing a beautiful pass to deprive Russell of the lead, surging over one second clear of the Briton, with Norris less than a second back.

In the first flurry of pit stops after around a quarter of the 66-lap race Russell had a slow stop, emerging in eighth as Verstappen led by almost five seconds.

Hamilton had a quicker stop than his teammate as Verstappen headed in for a change of tires, returning to the circuit in fourth behind yet-to-pit Norris.

A feisty Hamilton zipped past home hero Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and up to sixth at turn one, with contact between the pair.

Norris and his team were trying a different strategy, staying out longer before a new set of rubber.

He eventually ‘boxed’ for fresher tyres, to slot back in behind Sainz in sixth.

At halfway it was the familiar presence of Verstappen with a six-second gap from Russell, from Norris, back in third after a straightforward overtake past Hamilton.

‘We need to push Max’

A few laps later Norris bested Russell after a bit of nip and tuck between the pair to leave only Verstappen ahead of him, albeit around nine seconds up the road.

Russell promptly pitted as the race entered its business stage, Norris chipping away at Verstappen’s lead.

On lap 45 Verstappen came in for a second time, as Norris followed suit, setting up a compelling conclusion in Catalonia.

Norris had over six seconds to make up on his Red Bull rival with 15 laps left as Hamilton moved past his teammate to put himself in the running for his first podium of 2024.



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“We need to push to the end now Max,” Verstappen’s engineer urged on the team radio. He took the chequered flag for the third straight year at one of his favorite tracks by a little over two seconds from Norris.

Verstappen heads to Red Bull’s home race in Spielberg in a week’s time with a 69-point lead over Norris, who earned a point for the fastest lap, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, fifth on Sunday, third, two points further back.

‘Good to be back,’ says Lewis Hamilton after podium return

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Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton raises his trophy as he celebrates on the podium with Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen (R) after the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya on June 23, 2024 in Montmelo, on the outskirts of Barcelona. (Photo by Manaure Quintero / AFP)

Lewis Hamilton may be a seven-time world champion and Formula One record holder but his delight at finally finishing on the podium again after a lengthy barren spell on Sunday was plain to see.

The 39-year-old, in his final season at Mercedes before moving to Ferrari, took third at the Spanish Grand Prix to join in the post-race champagne celebrations for the first time since Mexico in October, 2023 and to extend his record of 198 career podium appearances.

His buoyant race form came on the back of a superb qualifying session after a season when he had been bettered by his teammate George Russell 8-1 arriving in Catalonia.

READ: F1: Verstappen wins Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton returns to podium

He played down the prospect of ending his long and successful time at Mercedes with a final victory this season, but was upbeat that the team had finally emerged from the doldrums ever since Red Bull stole a march on their rivals with the change in the F1 technical landscape two years ago.

Hamilton, who missed out on a record eighth world title on the last lap of the season in controversial circumstances to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in 2021, said: “It’s a big boost to finally get a good result and to be back up here.”

The Briton, who shares the record of six wins in Spain with Michael Schumacher, added: “We are slowly slowly getting closer.

“We have to take it with a pinch but I do think we have closed the gap a little bit.

“It’s all hands on deck (back at the Mercedes factory) and we have to keep pushing.

“We have to keep fine tuning the car but we are definitely building momentum.”

READ: F1: ‘One of my worst races,’ says Lewis Hamilton after missing podium

Talking about his recent wretched luck in qualifying up to this weekend he said: “My Saturday has been so bad for the past 15 races, it’s good to have a clean weekend.”

Talking about his upcoming switch to Ferrari Hamilton reflected: “I love Mercedes, I’ve been with them since I was 13.

“The job this year is to work as hard as I can, whatever trajectory the team is on there are things that I can be proud of being a part of.

“It would be nice to sign off with a win – but just being consistent at weekends like this is the target.”



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Hamilton sits eighth in the world championship, on 70 points, 11 behind teammate Russell, who finished fourth in Catalonia.

Red Bull’s Verstappen won Sunday’s race ahead of Lando Norris in a McLaren.