By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipino athletes from billiards, athletics and jiujitsu are leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam Wednesday in time for the opening ceremony of the 31st Southeast Asian Games on Thursday.
Former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Rubilen Amit, reigning US 8-ball Open titlist Carlo Biado and perennial SEA Games gold-medal contender Chezka Centeno are checking in prior to the opening rites the following day at 8 p.m. at the My Dinh Stadium at the Vietnamese capital.
Joining them are teams from athletics, bowling, cycling MTB, esports, and jiujitsu led by world-renowned grapplers Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez.
“So far, so good. The arrivals have been going on smoothly. We are preparing for the opening ceremony and have been continuously providing assistance to our athletes,’’ said Philippine Sports Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, the country’s chef de mission to the Games.
Hurdler Clinton Bautista, javelin thrower Melvin Calano, decathlete Aries Toledo, marathoner Christine Hallasgo and heptathlete Sarah Dequinan are all upbeat about their chances to retain their SEAG gold medals before leaving Manila.
Making up the 50-man athletics team bound for the Vietnamese capital are medalists Mark Harry Diones, Janry Ubas, Francis Medina, Edgardo Alejan Jr., Anfernee Lopena, Eloiza Luzon, and Marestella Sunang.
FIRST GOLD
Some competitions have already begun, with Malaysia winning the first gold when diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri triumphed in the women’s one-metre springboard.
These Games were originally scheduled to take place in November but were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
With infections falling heavily since a peak of more than 200,000 a day in March, spectators in venues — they do not even have to take a Covid test — will be a contrast to last year’s mostly fan-free Tokyo Olympics.
Only last week the 2022 Asian Games were postponed because of the virus. The multisport, Olympic-sized showpiece had been scheduled to take place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September.
The SEA Games are centered on Hanoi with action also taking place in 11 nearby northern provinces.
Cyclists Ariana Dormitorio, John Derrick Farr and Eleazar Barba Jr. will also begin their hunt for medals as well as bowlers Merwin Tan, Lara Posadas, and Alexis Sy.
Athletes from archery, beach volleyball, dancesport, esports, sepak takraw are set to leave Thursday in time for the opening ceremony.
The PH men’s basketball team, made up of PBA stars Junemar Fajardo and siblings Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, is scheduled to arrive Friday along with the women’s basketball squad and teams from boxing, muay, taekwondo, wrestling, and shooting.
Events that have already started are diving, kickboxing, handball, chess, football, futsal, pencak silat, kurash, rowing and kickboxing.
Competitions will take a break Thursday to give way to the opening ceremony before action resumes in badminton, basketball 3×3, fencing, golf, artistic gymnastics, petanque, sepak takraw, table tennis, tennis, indoor volleyball, wushu, bodybuilding and e-sports on Friday.
The Philippines seek to retain its overall championship title after harvesting 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals in the previous edition that the country hosted in 2019. (With reports from AFP)
