National dailies report that the National Sports Associations (NSAs) have predicted a winning haul of 220 gold medals this coming SoutheastAsian (SEA) Games. It is an outrageous projection that baffles me, considering that in the last SEA Games, the Philippines had landed a far 6th with a haul of only 24 golds, 33 silvers and 64 bronzes. How in heaven’s name do we pole-vault from 24 golds to 220, and from 6th to 1st is just too mind-boggling for me.
The fearless forecasts came out during the coordination meeting of the NSAs with Team Philippines chef de mission and Philippine Sports Commission Chair William “Butch” Ramirez.
Of course, the fact that we have homecourt advantage will be a big factor. The last time we hosted this event in 2005, we had won the overall championship with 113 golds, with the Thais coming up second with a distant 87 golds. It is a known fact that in the SEA Games, host countries have been notorious in padding up games where they are strong in, hence the brilliant showing of the host nations is expected.
But to have an eventual haul of 220 golds is just preposterous. I simply cannot comprehend how our NSAs can boast of such figures considering their recent results. We are simply setting ourselves up to lose by putting up such high expectations from our athletes.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino tempered their statements, saying: “I think winning 130 to 180 gold medals is doable.” The 220 golds predicted by the NSA leaders collectively have never been achieved by Team Philippines in the Games. For that matter, it has never been achieved by any country ever before in the SEA Games. The highest gold medal tally so far recorded has been the 182 gold haul by the Indonesians when they hosted the Games in 2011.
The contact sports are expected to bring in majority of the haul with arnis projecting at least 15 golds out of 20 events while our fighters from wrestling, judo, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and sambo are confident they can contribute at least five victories each. Boxing has been a perennial multiple-gold performer as well, and so with wushu and taekwondo.
Other expected medal producers include dancesports (10 golds), athletics (9 golds), gymnastics (9 golds) and skateboarding (8 Gs). Still, the projected 220-medal gold rush – if accomplished – may not only elicit expressions of pleasant surprise, it may just subject the SEA Games to charges of rigging and the like. Eventually, it may just serve to cast doubts on the integrity of the Games.
I have remained silent over the preparations for the SEA Games in the hope that our athletes may not be subjected to undue distractions. Suffice it to say that I am rooting for our athletes, despite the many problems I have witnessed with Philippine Sports. Reform Philippine Sports stands committed in support of the country’s efforts to host and compete in the incoming SEA Games.
The sportsfest is scheduled invenues across Metro Manila and Southern Luzon, Subic and New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. A total of 1,115 Filipino athletes will see action in 56 sports with 530 events o be contested.
