PSC expresses gratitude for AFP support

Eumir Marcial batters Timor-Leste’s Delio Mouzinho on the way to a gold medal in boxing’s middleweight class. —REUTERS

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its valuable assistance to the country’s bid in the recent 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Of the 52 gold medals collected by the country during its fourth-place finish in the biennial meet, six came from AFP soldiers, including Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and Olympic bronze winner Eumir Marcial of boxing.

“The AFP and its athletes played a vital role in our success in the SEA Games. We sincerely thank them for these contributions that lent a big hand in our campaign,’’ said PSC Chair William Ramirez.

Team Philippines, which brought 641 athletes in 38 sports to Hanoi, Vietnam, also amassed 70 silver and 104 bronze medals, just five gold medals ahead of fifth-placer Singapore (47-46-71) at the end of the 11-nation regional sports meet.

It propelled the nation to its finest performance in the SEA Games outside of the Philippines since winding up second overall in the 1983 Singapore edition.

Besides Diaz, the first Filipino Olympic gold medalist, and Marcial, hurdler Clinton Bautista, boxer Ian Clark Bautista and muay thai’s Phillip Delarmino from the Philippine Navy likewise took home gold medals.

Janine Pontejos and France Mae Cabinbin of the Philippine Army and Marizze Andrea Cabinbin formed part of the gold-winning women’s basketball squad.