Hosts eye ‘miracle of 05’ repeat

MANILA, Philippines — Winning in the Southeast Asian Games is a huge accomplishment for any athlete. Repeating and singing the national anthem during the victory ceremony on home ground with friends and families around make the feat even more amazing.

As the 30th SEA Games unwraps in the Philippines, at least 18 Filipino champions from the previous edition who helped the delegation capture 24 golds, 34 silvers and 63 bronzes in Kuala Lumpur set out to do an encore and share such wonderful moments with their loved ones here.

Gilas Pilipinas guard Kiefer Ravena leads the returning victors from the 2017 class as he guns for a personal five-peat in the men’s basketball 5-on-5 competitions. With him in this journey are KL batchmates Christian Standhardinger and Troy Rosario.

Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, a bright Olympic prospect, wants to snare a four-peat in the women’s 63kg play while cuemasters Chezka Centeno and Carlo Biado each hunt for the mints for the third consecutive SEAG as they head a high-powered pool contingent that includes former world titlists Rubilen Amit and Dennis Orcollo.

Olympian tracksters Mary Joy Tabal and Eric Cray go for another triumph in marathon and 400-meter hurdles, respectively, while boxers Eumir Marcial and John Marvin, and another

judo bet Mariya Takahashi seek the same in their respective battlefields.

Kim Mangrobang shoots for back-to-back in triathlon, so do Reyland Capellan in gymnastics, Agatha Wong in wushu, Aries Toledo in athletics, Cuerte Garin and Ronald Lising in lawn bowls, Dustin Mella, Raphael Mella and Rodolfo Reyes in men’s poomsae, Samuel Morrison in taekwondo, and Dines Dumaan in pencak silat.

The Philippine ice hockey team led by goalie Gianpietro Issepi looks to extend its reign after ruling the inaugural competition in Malaysia.

Fil-Am trackster Trenten Berram, who won the 200m and 400m runs two years ago, won’t be around, though, as his apparent non-interest prompted the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) to drop him from the national squad.

Also not around this time is Nikko Huelgas, the two-time triathlon king, who was beaten for the two Team Philippines slots by  John Chicano and Andrew Kim Remolino during the local qualifying. Huelgas, though, will take part in the mixed relay team event.

Host Philippines is unleashing a star-studded delegation as it aims to grab a lion’s share of the 530 gold medals at stake in 56 sports.

Two newly-minted world champions in gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxer Nesthy Petecio look to carry over their brilliance into the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 Games and provide additional inspiration to their brothers and sisters in the 1,081-athlete contingent.

Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, fresh from copping a pair of bronzes at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships, is determined to snare a first-ever gold in the Philippine SEAG, where Team Philippines’ eyes are set on 130-180 golds and the coveted overall crown.

As determined to strike gold is Margielyn Didal, who has enjoyed a triumphant streak highlighted by her Asian Games conquest, and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, one of the early qualifiers for Tokyo 2020, who’s out to annex the SEAG plum after topping the Asian Championships this year.

The country’s best and brightest are hard-pressed to perform their own version of the “Miracle of 2005” -  Team Philippines’ gutsy stand against better-equipped rivals which paid off with a breakthrough overall championship for the hosts.

That time, the Filipinos bucked the odds and collared 113 golds, 84 silvers and 94 bronzes to nose out SEAG power Thailand from No. 1.

“Nobody expected us to win in 2005, but we did,” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez, the chef de mission of Team Philippines for these Games.

“For nine days that year, Filipinos were united by our athletes’ sporting achievement. We did it once, let’s do it again, for flag and country.”

Winning will surely provide a breath of fresh air for a nation besieged by bickering and negativity, some of which have spilled over to sports and the early days of the SEAG hosting itself.

“Let’s bring good news to everyone. We need it, all Filipinos need it,” Ramirez exhorted members of Team Philippines.