Getting ready for Asian Games, Olympics

Norman S. Alvarado

The Philippine Sports Commission said the 31st Southeast Asian Games will serve as a springboard for Filipino athletes to get ready for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to PSC officials, the SEA Games will give Filipino athletes great exposure going to the Asian Games up to the Olympics.

This, as the PSC never wavered in providing financial support for the entire Philippine delegation, numbering 980, in the ongoing games where 641 Filipino athletes are competing in 38 sports.

PSC officials said the country’s medalists who will go through qualification for the 2024 Olympics will get the preparation they need in the SEA Games, in the Asian Games and other high-level international games.

They said that by supporting the entire delegation, the country is also giving the opportunity for non-medalists to become outstanding athletes in the future.

The PSC is grateful that despite the pandemic, it was able to save from the National Sports Development Fund that came from PAGCOR and the PCSO. It was able to gather available funds and instead was able to send all athletes, not just 300 medalists.

Aside from the 300 medalists, the 38 national sports associations (NSAs) included non-medalists and young athletes from their respective developmental teams in the lineup.

The entire Philippine delegation was welcomed by host country Vietnam, along with the 10 other nations set to compete in the games.

According to the PSC, Vietnam took care of the preparations, competitions, and the activities surrounding the SEA Games.

Among the athletes are Carlos Edriel Yulo, the women’s volleyball team featuring Alyssa Valdez, Aby Maraño and Jaja Santiago. The women’s volleyball and men’s volleyball have a total headcount of 38 players and officials while gymnastics has 22 athletes and coaches.

There are also athletes and officials from badminton (19), bodybuilding (13), fencing (28), table tennis (17), tennis (12), athletics (8), wushu (17), and one swimmer, as well as athletes from kickboxing, handball, men’s and women’s football, rowing, chess, kurash, pencak silat, men’s 3x3 basketball, women’s basketball, golf, and triathlon/duathlon, track and field athletes and officials (50) including pole vault Asian record holder Ernest John Obiena, entries from esports (25), billiards (10), bowling (13), cycling (16), golf (2), jiujitsu (9), and swimming (3).

--oOo-

The author is Teacher III/Coach at Marcelo H. del Pilar National High School