Count on the Filipino athletes to deliver when the going gets tough.
Amid the distractions and doubts hovering over Team Philippines’ preparations and campaign for the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Filipinos remained poised and kept their focus on the task at hand, resulting in one of the most inspiring moments in the country’s sporting last month.
The 1,115-strong Philippine bets delivered a total of 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals out of the 56 sports played in the entire duration of the 11-day competitions held in three major clusters in Luzon.
The numbers were the highest ever tallied by the country since it began competing in the biennial meet in 1977, and more than enough to clinch for the host the SEA Games overall championship just for the second time in 42 years.
For that momentous feat in a December to remember, Team PH will be bestowed with the 2019 Athlete of the Year award in the coming SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night.
The traditional gala honoring the top sports heroes and heroines of the year just passed is set on March 6 at the Centennial Hall of Manila Hotel.