BY NICK GIONGCO
CLARKFIELD, Pampanga – As the cauldron gets extinguished Wednesday night and as the athletes, officials and delegates return to their respective countries, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) believes the hosting of the 30 SEAG will forever hold a special place in their heart.
“Extraordinary, exceptional,” Phisgoc Chief Operating Oficer Tats Suzara said when asked how he feels the other Asean countries would remember their participation and overall experience in the country.
With the Philippines on its way to winning its second overall crown as gold medals continue to pile up, the Phisgoc said the hosting, though criticized heavily in the beginning, was able to deliver what was expected from it.
The opening ceremonies held behind closed doors at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Nov. 30 that featured a celebration of local culture and reignited strong bond of the Asean nations was quite unique.
And as the competition progressed and the Philippines immediately taking control of the medal standings and the competing nations making their move, the 2019 SEAG was a huge success since it once again united a nation often wracked with inner strife.
Just like whenever Manny Pacquiao enters the ring, the whole nation rallied behind the Filipino athlete, cheered whenever he threw a punch, made a basket, landed a kick, raced past a worthy competitor and leapt to new heights.
The public was likewise right there when he or she went down from a strike, didn’t make it to the medal podium, was unable to save a ball, fell short in a jump or throw and got kicked and punched as well.
When the Filipino athletes wept, the public grieved and consoled them as well and when he howled in victory, they were right there to echo the victory shout.
Still, the Philippines’ factory remained on work mode on Tuesday, the penultimate of competitions as e-sports, soft tennis and shooting delivered in the hours before athletics puts on a show for the last time at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium, site of the closing rites.
Cav Acampado, the heavy favorite in Starcraft II, downed Singaporean Thomas Maria Kopankiewicz, 4-1,a s esports continued to make heads turn.
In shooting, Hagen Topacio, Eric Ang and Carlo Carag joined hands in the trap while soft tennis got another gold in the team event.
As of 3 p.m., the Philippines had already amassed 14o medals, according to the Games’ official website. It also has 103 silver and 107 bronze medals.
Thailand, which lagged behind for ten days before springing back to life on Monday, is now at second with a tally of 84-92-104 and is being threatened by Vietnam, which has a collection of 81-80-95.
Indonesia (70-76-102) and Malaysia (51-53-67) make up the top five.
