The Road to Starladder X: A Quick Glimpse of IAP
Interactive Philippines.Execration, the winner of StarLadder X South East Asian Qualifier, will be representing the whole region in the LAN Grand Finals at Kiev, Ukraine. They flew to Kiev earlier this week, on Oct. 21, 2014.
To someone who isn’t completely into eSports, it might sound very trivial, but to these guys, this opportunity is all that they have ever dreamed of. Having to carry the banner of one’s country and to compete internationally with high caliber teams is like winning the lottery.
Image from: Starladder.tv
A Road Traveled
Before the glitter, the glamour and the beauty, IAP had to go through some tough decisions and situations during the game. Having to struggle through a dozen matches and surviving the round-robin stage, IAP remained a force to be reckoned with, only dropping a single game throughout the play-offs.
In the finals, it was a three-way tie between Johnny’s Revenge and Titan (now Team Malaysia). With an uneasy situation between the Malaysian teams, IAP finally grabbed the spotlight and became an overnight sensation in the country as the last Philippine hope.
Having to surpass at least 11 others of the top Dota 2 teams in Southeast Asia — two of which are known worldwide for their participation in The International — is like standing on the shoulders of giants. After breaking through the three-way tie, their road to Ukraine has officially started. The proof of their sacrifice left a sweet taste on their mouths as they prepared for their trip ahead.
The Plunge
“We are very happy and excited. It’s priceless”. These were the words Kimuel “KimO” Borromeo Rodis uttered when Inquirer eSports asked him about the team’s reaction to the fact that they are finally going to Ukraine for the finals.
KimO is the team captain of Interactive Philippines.Execration and is a veteran in the field of Dota. According to him, he is excited to face some big name teams for their first match.
“First time namin to. Hindi namin alam yung experience sa ganito. The pressure is real (This will be our first time. We don’t have any previous experience in things like this.. the pressure is real),” he stated. “Looking forward ako to Evil Geniuses and Secret kasi para sakin sila na ang the best sa buong mundo (EG and Team Secret…. because for me, they are the best in the world).”
Upon knowing that Chinese juggernauts NewBee and Vici Gaming will be absent from the event, the team breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the already tremendous amount of preparation needed from their end was eased somewhat.
“Kasi yung may EG at Team Secret sa isang event sobrang pressure na noon at sobrang daming preparation ang kailangan. Kung may NewBee at Vici pa kaya sobra na (Having Evil Geniuses and Team Secret in a tournament already puts too much pressure on us, and a lot of preparation is needed.. how much more if Newbee and Vici Gaming are there?)” he explained.
Near Perfection
As Starladder X draws near, IAP is on a full-scale workout, preparing themselves on what is to come for the upcoming tournament.
“Tamang bonding. Pinapalakas namin ung team work, kahit sa totoong buhay (The right mix. We have strengthened our teamwork, even in real life),” said KimO.
In terms of practice, IAP practices three to fours hours a week.
“Nitong mga nakaraang linggo, halos 3 to 4 hours lang kasi araw-araw kami may laro. Yung mga games namin parang naging practice na (These past few weeks, we’ve only had 3-4 hours of practice because we have online matches everyday. Those daily matches have somewhat become practice grounds for us).”
Although KimO hasn’t left any inspiring messages and shout-outs to the team’s fans and supporters due to inadequate time, they are 100% ready to play against the teams that they look up to.
(Left to right: Ewe, foxx, KimO, Jay, RR)
These players have become worthy through their hard work; their hunger for success drives their improvement. Seeing their recent performances in different matches and tournaments, IAP is undoubtedly one of South East Asia’s best — the last hope of Philippine Dota 2.
All of them nourished perfection to the extent of shedding sweat, tears, blood, energy and maybe even hair, skin and nails.
Everything now falls to who is a step ahead than the other teams, and who has a heart for glory. With seven top teams (not to mention that almost all of them have been into The International) vying for the cash prize, trophy, honor, glory and fame, StarLadder X will become a priceless experience for those who take part in it.
With reputations at stake, these eight humble teams are now locked into a competitive struggle to show which team stands above and will continue to dominate the world of Dota 2.
Anything is possible, nothing is certain and one can’t even afford to blink.
Let us support these young athletes in their future endeavors. Bring home the bacon and show not only the Philippines, but the whole South-East Asia what PH Dota is like.
Additional Note:
*Interactive Philippines.Execration is a homegrown talent who is working very hard to pursue their passion in gaming. Expect to see more of them in tournaments, both in the Philippines and internationally.
Image banner from IAP facebook page
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
