MANILA, Philippines – Unless the host country scraps most of the events where the Philippines is strong at, the Filipinos can look forward to a repeat of their 2005 showing in the Southeast Asian Games.
“We are targetting the overall title,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco yesterday.
The Philippines wound up overall champion for the first time in SEA Games history when it hosted the biennial event in 2005. But since then, it has fallen to sixth in Thailand in 2007 and fifth in Laos in 2009.
Cojuangco said it’s time for the Philippines to regain lost ground in the SEA Games, saying the only thing that can stop it from surging back to the top is if Indonesia, the host, scraps the Pinoys’ favorite events.
The host country in the SEA Games has the final say on the number of sports and number of medals to be disputed in the SEA Games, and may include their favorite indigenous sports in the process.
“I’m saying that it depends on the events to be disputed. It always favors the host country, and I’m just hoping that the events we’re good at won’t be scrapped,” said Cojuangco.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman said a few days ago that a third-place finish in Indonesia on Nov. 11 to 25 (11-11-11) should make the Filipinos happy.
“To be honest our target is to finish in the top three. Our performance has been improving throughout the year and we have more time to prepare for this one,” said PSC chairman Richie Garcia.
Among the medal-rich events that can be scrapped if the hosts want to are chess, billiards, taekwondo or even wushu. If these events are scrapped the Philippines stands to lose at least a dozen gold medals even before the Games begin.
“Of course, Thailand (the overall champion the last two stagings of the event), Indonesia and Vietnam are all eyeing the overall title,” said Cojuangco.
“But this time, we will join not just for the sake of participating. There is no reason why we can’t excel this time. There will be no one else to blame but us,” he added.
Aba Cordero, Philippine Star
