Some 400 national athletes have big chances of winning medals in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez said this after the agency finalized its research on the performances of national athletes that are under its care.
“These are the athletes who have good chances of winning medals, and there 593 more. And they are still in training,” said Ramirez.
There are a total of 1,452 athletes receiving financial assistance from the PSC.
And out of these, eight are in the platinum or elite program in billiards, bowling, taekwondo, weightlifting, windsurfing, while three are para (disabled) athletes.
Ramirez said it will be up to the national sports associations and the national coaches to determine what medals they can win in the Games.
The PSC chief said this a week after the billeting areas at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and PhilSports Complex in Pasig City became available again for national athletes to use.
The facilities were closed down following three months of repairs.
National athletes from weightlifting and women’s wrestling are currently staying at the RMSC, with fencing, karatedo and muay thai located at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.
Last Dec. 14, many National Sports Associations were asked to pull out their athletes from the dormitories for repairs.
While the repairs went on, the agency covered the expenses of the national athletes for their temporary housing like rentals of condo or apartment units for the team.