INQUIRER Sports

THE water polo bets kicked off Team Philippines? campaign in the Laos Southeast Asian Games with a resounding 6-4 victory over the Thais Saturday, providing a jolly sendoff to the bulk of the Nationals leaving Sunday for Vientiane, Laos, on two chartered Philippine Airlines flights.

It was sweet revenge for the Filipinos, silver medalists in the last two editions of the biennial meet, as the Thais bested them by a goal in a goodwill series in Singapore in September.

In the 2007 Thailand SEAG, the Filipinos and the Thais battled to a draw.

The Singaporeans showed why they?ve ruled the event since 1981 when they dumped the Indonesians, 14-5, in the opener of the four-team event at the swimming pool of the National Stadium Sports Complex.

The 13-man water polo team, including six rookies, and five support and technical officials left Thursday and were able to practice two days for the single round robin event.

The first flight to Laos Sunday is set to leave at 6 a.m., carrying 153 athletes and 47 officials being funded by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Around 100 more athletes and officials being supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee will fly 30 minutes later.

The Philippines will be represented by 251 athletes who will vie for gold medals in 22 of the 25 sports calendared for the games which formally start Wednesday.

There are 370 gold medals at stake in the biennial event being hosted by Laos for the first time.

During the victory sendoff presided by PSC chair Harry Angping on Thursday, the Filipino athletes promised to win 64 gold medals.