PHNOM PENH—More medals are expected by Team Philippines in the last two days of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham Tolentino said as the Filipinos got ready to further improve their running tally of 46 golds, 72 silvers and 88 bronze medals early Monday.
“We will surpass our medal tally in Vietnam,” said Tolentino. “It’s achievable, God-willing it might (even) reach 60 (golds).”
During the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam last year, Filipino athletes hauled 52 golds, 70 silvers and 105 bronzes.
Tolentino feels that sports where Filipinos will still see action, like kickboxing, taekwondo, arnis, weightlifting, judo, wrestling, dragonboat, beach volleyball, jet ski and sepak takraw, can still contribute to the Philippine cause.
“If you get one each (gold) on these sports, definitely we will surpass the 52 golds in Vietnam. We already surpassed the silver. We only have 70 (silvers) in Vietnam, we have now 72,” said Tolentino.
“There could be surprises out there,” added Tolentino, making special mention of the Philippines’ soft tennis, team which became the games’ unofficial champion after delivering three gold, one silver and a bronze medal, to improve on its 3-0-1 finish in the 2019 SEA Games.
The POC chief also lauded the taekwondo team, which bagged 6 golds (led by the title triumph of Kurt Barbosa), a silver and 4 bronze medals.
