4 athletes to carry PH flag?

There are just four athletes on the list of potential flag-bearers for the Philippine delegation when the country hosts the Southeast Asian Games this year: weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, golfer Yuka Saso and gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo.

And SEA Games chief of mission for the Philippines Monsour del Rosario said there is a chance all four will earn the honor.

“We owe it to them to be the flag-bearer; they have exemplified what a true national athlete is by their achievement,” said Del Rosario.

Diaz is Olympic silver medalist and last year’s Asian Games champion in Jakarta, where Didal also won a gold for skateboarding and Yuka Saso won two in women’s golf—the individual crown and the team title with Bianca Pagdanganan and LK Go.

Yulo last year became the only Filipino to have medaled in the World Championships, bagging bronze in the floor exercise in Doha.

The SEA Games Federation set the deadline for submission of athletes by number on March 15. Submission of athletes by names will be on Sept. 2.

The biennial event kicks off on Nov. 30 and will run until Dec. 11 in various venues.