PH’s SEA Games campaign gets going Tuesday

Representatives of each sport for the SEA Games come up on stage. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER

KUALA LUMPUR — The Philippines’ modest goal of scoring 50 gold medals begins Tuesday when its athletes in netball, water polo and football go into action in different venues here.

A few sports have already started although the formal opening will be on Saturday at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Much of the 490-strong Philippine contingent have yet to arrive but already, Philippines secretariat, led by chief of mission Cynthia Carrion, has already been set-up to help them settle in.

Malaysia, which is hosting the biennial meet for the fourth time, is gunning for the overall championship with an 111-gold medal target. It’s the same number of mints it won when it ruled the 2001 edition.

Organizers here have put premium on security as some 8,000 personnel from the country’s police and military are called on to provide safety to a projected 20,000 athletes and officials who will gather here.

“There are enough police personnel to monitor the traffic as well as security situation at all the venues,” said Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister YB Brig. gen. Khairy Jamaluddin in a press statement.

Filipino athletes who have arrived were also briefed by the Philippine delegation secretariat that was set up in a function room in plush Sunway Putra Hotel in the downtown.

They will be given local sim cards and a WhatsApp account has been set up to facilitate communication among 800 athletes and officials here.

The PH water polo team will take on fearsome Thailand at 11 a.m., at National Aquatics Center, serving as the opening salvo for the delegation.

The team is hoping to gain as many wins as possible after having undergone training camp in Barcelona. It’s best finish was silver during the 2009 Laos Games.

Men’s and women’s football will open their respective bids both at 8:45 p.m., fighting Cambodia and Malaysia, respectively.

Netball will join the fray at 3 p.m., facing Thailand.