A maximum of 150 athletes will be sent to compete in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games that will be hosted by the capital city of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan from Sept. 17-27.
As the country sets the stage for an ambitious quest to win medals in 21 sports, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has been holding regular talks with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to determine the cost of sending a delegation to the former Soviet republic.
Raymond Lee of karatedo and Liza Ner of the POC have been meeting with various national sports associations the past few days in coordination with PSC Executive Director Carlo Abarquez.
What makes this year’s edition of sportsfest extra-tough is the participation of 17 countries from Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand to do battle with the 45 regular members of the Olympic Council of Asia.
Lee said the PSC has assured them of its 100 support, a move that augurs well with the delegation’s aim of improving on its one gold and two bronze medal performance the last time in 2013 in Incheon for an 18th place finish.
The sports that will be played in Turkmenistan are basketball (3-on-3), bowling, chess, cue sports, dancesport, equestrian, futsal, indoor athletics, jujitsu, kickboxing, kurash, Muay, powerlifting, sambo, swimming (short course), taekwondo, tennis, track cycling, belt wrestling and wrestling.
Ner is in the process of getting the best airline deal for a roundtrip ticket to Ashgabat and was told that the cheapest is a $1,800 since the destination if off the beaten path.