Camacho predicts at least 50 golds

THE PHILIPPINES is good for at least 50 gold medals in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore next month, according to chief of mission Julian Camacho.

Based on the vetting by the national sports associations represented in the June 5 to 16 Games, Camacho said the gold medals should come from athletics, basketball, billiards, boxing, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, judo, rowing, rugby, sailing, practical shooting, softball, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon and wushu.

“I’m thinking of 50-plus gold medals and we’re expecting these sports to deliver,” Camacho said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at Shakey’s Malate. “At that rate, we could be gunning for fifth place (overall).”

Camacho told the forum sponsored by Pagcor and Accel that the country aims to surpass its 41-gold output in 2007 in Thailand. It was the most number of golds won by the country since 2005, when it won the overall title in Manila.

The Philippines finished seventh overall among 11 countries in the 2013 Burma (Myanmar) edition with 29 gold, 34 silver and 39 bronze medals.

Track and field is again expected to lead the golden haul with athletics chief Philip Ella Juico   boldly predicting at least eight gold medals for his team.

Camacho said 466 athletes are seeing action in 35 sports.