By REYNALD MAGALLON
The Philippine team may be without its only Olympics double-gold winner Caloy Yulo in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games but sporting stars like Hidilyn Diaz, Alex Eala and EJ Obiena are ready to pick up the slack.
The Nationals are looking to beat their 58-gold performance from last edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and they are naturally banking on the big guns to deliver the mints.
Of course, leading the charge for Team Philippines is Diaz who is making his SEA Games comeback after skipping last time out. She is set to compete in the 58-kilograms division of women’s weightlifting which will begin on Saturday, Dec. 13.
“She’s still in shape. But I don’t know if she will equalize her performance before. It’s different now so we will see,” said weightlifting president Monico Puentevella.
Joining Diaz in bannering the weightlifting team is Elreen Ando who won the women’s 59kg gold in the 32nd SEAG.
Riding the crest of her historic year, Eala isn’t only bearing the country’s colors in the opening ceremony but also on the tennis court as she looms as a potential gold medalist for Team Philippines.
Ranked 52 in the current WTA rankings, and the only Southeast Asian to land in the top 60, the Filipina tennis princess is heavily favored to go all the way.
Of course, the PH team has bets in medal-rich events swimming, athletics and boxing.
Paris Olympian Kayla Sanchez will be the best bet for PH tankers as she vies for 10 events. Xiandi Chua, who won the gold in women’s 200m backstroke also aims to deliver more gold.
On the track, Obiena will be gunning for his fourth straight gold in men’s pole vault, joining reigning SEAG men’s 400m hurdles champion Eric Cray as the favorites to deliver medals for the PH athletics team.
Janry Ubas, who won the gold mint in long jump, will also be defending his title in the event while also trying to win another decathlon.
Pro-boxers Eumir Marcial and Weljon Mindoro also loom as potential winners in boxing along Olympic medalists Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio. Hergie Bacyadan, and Claudine Veloso, who won a gold in kickboxing last edition, are also dark horses in their respective divisions.
Gilas Pilipinas, despite the struggles in forming a team, still looked formidable in the men’s 5×5 basketball while 2019 gold medalists PH men’s baseball and PH women’s softball will try to retain the top spot in this edition.
Wushu will have five-time gold medalist Agatha Wong leading the charge while Taekwondo has defending championPatrick King Perez. Rowing will be led by Olympian Cris Niavarez and Joanie Delgaco just as Kira Ellis, previous gold winner in mixed aquathlon 4x relay, will be at the forefront of the medal chances in triathlon.
Without Yulo, John Ivan Cruz and Miguel Besana will be tasked to carry the flag in men’s gymnastics along with women’s bet Aleah Finnegan.
