With the outside hitter position expected to be stacked in talent, Jao Umandal is not worried about having to battle for coveted spots in the Philippine men’s national volleyball team pool with overseas stars Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo.
With the Philippines set to compete in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s National Championship, the country is bent on assembling a team that can stand its ground against the world’s best.
So, it should not come as a surprise that Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, and Jao Umandal, all of whom boast experience of playing overseas as imports, are some of the expected shoo-ins in the Philippine men’s national volleyball team pool.
This, however, means that Umandal could find himself battling for the main outside hitter position with Bagunas and Espejo once more.
Be that as it may, Umandal embraces the concept of healthy competition with arguably two of the country’s finest athletes, opting to look at the benefit it would bring to the team.
“Ako naman di naman ako nakikipag-compete. Healthy competition pa rin kami. Panalo ng isa, panalo naming lahat. Mas maganda na malalim ‘yung kukuhanan namin sa bench. Magtutulong-tulong kami para maabot namin 'yung achievement ng national team,” said the 26-year-old ace of the Cignal HD Spikers.
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Umandal has already proven capable of thriving alongside Bagunas and Espejo in the past. The three even made history together when the Philippines captured a historic silver in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
With their growth over the years, the country could use the vaunted prowess of the prolific trio when it plays host to 31 other world-class teams that will compete for the coveted FIVB crown on September 12 to 28 next year.
The tilt is expected to be intense, but Umandal feels nothing but excitement. After all, he will have a chance to face off against the biggest stars in the global scene.
“Sa aming volleyball players sobrang laking ng impact nito lalo na gaganapin dito ang World (Championship). Sobrang daming volleyball players sa ibang bansa na hinahangaan ng bawa't isa amin. Sobrang sarap sa feeling na makikita nyo 'yung mga hinahangaan nyong volleyball players na magko-compete dito sa Pinas,” Umandal said.
“Makakatulong din 'yun, makakadagdag sa experience, learning ng bawa't isa sa mga manlalaro sa bansa. Opportunity sa mga susunod na generation na maglalaro pa sa national team.”