NSAS make SEAG medal projections

FILE – Kyla Richardson’s splendid 100m victory in Singapore capped the country’s huge century-dash double in the SEA Games.

TAGAYTAY CITY — National sports associations Saturday made bold medal projections for their athletes in this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion predicted a three-gold haul for her team, once 16-year-old Carlos Edrien Yulo gets the go-signal from Kuala Lumpur organizers to perform in the Aug. 19 to 31 Games.

Shooting’s Richard Fernandez told Philippine Sports Commission Chair Butch Ramirez that Filipino shooters could bring home at least four medals of any color.

Robert Bachmann of squash is eyeing two gold, three silver and four bronze medals and a 100-percent medal output in nine events.

Athletics chief Philip Ella Juico is looking for 10 gold medals but added, “many things can still happen from now until the SEA Games.”

“It’s too early to tell,” said Juico during the meeting with NSAs at Tagaytay Highlands.

Meanwhile, MVP Sports Foundation head Al Panlilio said that medal projections should serve as a basis for supporting certain sports.

“We’re always looking at the number of medals that we could win; I think we should choose the sports that could contribute to this objective,” said Panlilio./rga