More chances to qualify for SEAG

Athletes missing the Philippine National Games next month will be given another chance to join the national contingent to the December Southeast Asian Games through another selection process.

The PNG set May 25-June 2 in various venues in Metro Manila serves as the national open of most national sports associations with the winners gaining slots to the national team based on a decision by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“It is the first process for selection and the basis for naming the athletes, but we’re trying to come up with another selection process for athletes who cannot make it,” said Philippine chef de mission Jeff Tamayo.

The PSC, the government funding agency for sports, had made it clear that athletes should prevail in their pet sports in the PNG to qualify to the SEA Games this year in Myanmar.
SC chair Richie Garcia added that elite athletes should be in peak form in time for the PNG.

Otherwise, they could be relegated to the training pool.

The POC, however, still has the final say on the final lineup and Tamayo, also the second vice president of the local Olympic body, wants to give athletes more chances of making it to the 11-nation meet late this year.

Both the POC and the PSC don’t see a big delegation to the SEA Games after Myanmar organizers included 60 events from indigenous sports unknown to Filipino athletes.

The Philippines placed sixth in the 2011 SEAG in Indonesia followed by Myanmar.