‘RP has advantage to dominate SEAG’

It’s going to be a battle among Vietnam, Indonesia and host Philippines.

A Thai sports official who’s here in the country has issued this early forecast regarding the battle for the overall championship in the 23rd SEA Games to be held here on Nov. 27-Dec. 5.

Chaiyapak Siriwat said the other day the current trend where the host country enjoys a tremendous upperhand should serve the Philippines well when it hosts the event only for the third time after 1981 and 1991.

Malaysia won the overall championship when it hosted the SEA Games in 2001 and was followed by Vietnam, which took the top honors two years ago. In 1991, the Philippines came close to the overall title, falling just one gold medal short of Indonesia.

Siriwat said the host country having the final say on the number of sports to be played and the number of medals to be disputed is a big luxury one has to maximize and enjoy.

"You are the host. And it’s understandable," he said when asked if the Philippines is capable of winning the overall crown.

A total of 441 gold medals in 41 sports will be disputed this year.

Siriwat said Thailand is not even targeting the overall championship. But it will be a different case when it hosts the SEA Games in 2007. Thailand is also busy preparing for the first Asian Indoor Championship in December.

"Again, you are the host and you have your type of game (to be played). But we are focusing in the main sports (athletics, swimming or boxing)," he said.

He added that Thailand is not sending its best athletes in boxing and in tennis for the coming SEA Games.

"No. They only compete in the Asian Games and the Olympics. Even in tennis, where I am the vice president of the association, we don’t bring (world-ranked) Shrichipan Paradorn.

"Or in boxing, we don’t bring our Olympic medalists. We bring in the new ones. So they can come up and compete," he explained.

Siriwat said while the Philippines has prepared well for the coming event, Vietnam is on a roll. He said the Vietnamese have shown great improvement in the international arena.