THE 141-strong Philippine delegation carries a big fighting chance when it plunges into action in the Third Asian Youth Games set October 22 to 31 in Manama, Bahrain.

“We’ll train and do our best to get a a medal,” said boxer Leo Mhar Lobrido, one of two of the country’s flag bearers in the 10-day, 45-country quadrennial meet during the national team’s photo shoot on Monday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Lobrido, a Bago City (Negros Occidental) native who turned 16 only last Friday, is one the nation’s top bet for a medal, most probably a gold, being a decorated internationalist after having won in the Fourth Greater Area Bay Youth Boxing Challenge Shenzhen, China, late last year.

High school volleyball star Harlene Serneche, the other Filipino flag-bearer, is also optimistic that they will make the country proud.

“We have potential and hopefully we’ll be competitive there,” said the 18-year-old incoming National University freshman also during the photo shoot that featured 30 athletes to rally support for the delegation led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and the organization’s partners Avel Bacudio, Milo and Oishi.

“Yes, this team has a strong fighting chance,” said Tolentino, adding the goal is to match or surpass the gold medals won by taekwondo’s Pauline Lopez and golfer Mia Legaspi—along with three silver medals—in the games’ last edition in 2013 in Nanjing, China.

Also in the photo shoot wearing classic uniforms designed by renowned Avel Bacudio were Pi Durden Wangkay and Lorainne Batalla (athletics), Jan Brix Ramiscal (Muay), siblings Charlie and Travis Ratcliff (MMA) and Rhose Alemndralejo (volleyball).

The volleyball team is composed of National University’s high school squad plus its talented new recruit Rhose Almendralejo, an 11th grader from Tay Tung High School in Bacolod City.

“It’s a big pressure for me because this is only the second time I’m competing outside the country,” Almendralejo said. “I hope to help the team and do well.”

Volleyball president Ramon “Tats” is the chef de mission of the Philippine team that will vie in 18 of the 26 sports in the Manama program.

These are volleyball, teqball, golf, triathlon, mixed martial arts, taekwondo, muay, athletics, boxing, cycling, weightlifting, table tennis, badminton, wrestling, aquatics, jiu-jitsu, kurash and pencak silat.

Tolentino said that Bahrain is ready to host 4,250 athletes, 900 team and technical officials and 700 coaches in the games.