PH sees worst SEAG windup

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia has not strayed from his earlier prediction of a worst-ever seventh-place overall finish for Team Philippines in the 27th Southeast Asian Games.

“It was my forecast since the very beginning,” said Garcia, who directly supervised the final selection of the 210-strong athletes competing in 25 sports in the Dec. 11 to 22 Games in Burma (Myanmar).

“I don’t know the number of gold medals or the number of silvers [that PH will win], but I still believe we will end up No. 7.”

With a gold-silver-bronze harvest of 36-56-77 in the 2011 Games held in Indonesia, the Philippines placed sixth while Myanmar ended up seventh. Garcia said he’s expecting a reversed outcome this time.

Myanmar not only removed from the calendar of events sports where the Filipinos were expected to win 16 golds but replaced them with medal-rich ethnic sports which the host nation is sure to dominate.

Gone in the roster of sports were tennis, baseball, softball, fencing, bowling, bridge, wall climbing and fin swimming. Filipino athletes netted golds in these sports in Indonesia.

“I feel bad about the system because the (SEA Games) Federation allowed it,” said Garcia. “I’m not denying the fact that ‘Cong Peping’ (Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr.)  and I, at one point, thought of not participating in the Games or of just sending a token delegation.”

Chef de mission Jeff Tamayo said the combat sports of taekwondo, boxing, karatedo, muay, pencak silat, judo, wushu and wrestling are hard-pressed to contribute to the gold coffer.