A total of 272 brave Filipino athletes will march to the 18th Asian Games, looking to come up with a major rebound from a string of sorry performances in the international arena.

Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, World Cup champion Krizziah Tabora of bowling and Southeast Asian Games achievers Mariya Takahashi of judo, Kim Mangrobang of triathlon, Eric Cray and Mary Joy Tabal of athletics, and Kirstie Elaine Alora and Pauline Lopez lead the national contingent that would wage war in the prestigious continental meet set in Jakarta from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2.

Diaz, who retained her silver medal in the Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games in Ashgabat last year, has a golden chance to emerge victorious following the one-year suspension of her bitter rival from China, who was tested for performance-enhancing drugs.

Hopes are also high on Tabora, who looms as one of the candidates for Asian Games flag-bearer following an impressive win in the 53rd Qubica Bowling World Cup (BWC) Championship in Mexico last year.

With the victory, she became the first Filipino World Cup title-holder since CJ Suarez in 2003, Paeng Nepomuceno in 1976, 1980, 1992 and 1996, Bong Coo in 1979 and Lita del Rosario in 1978.

Asian Games deputy chief of mission Robert Bachmann said the list is already final and had already been submitted to the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) Saturday.

The list would be presented before the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive council for approval before being brought to the POC general assembly for final confirmation in a meeting tomorrow.

“Unless the POC makes some changes, this list is already final. We’re all set,” said Bachmann, the squash federation president and one of the prime movers behind the formation of the squad together with chief of mission Richard Gomez and fellow deputy Manny Cabili.

“We refuse to make any projection, but I can say that this is a strong and fighting team. All the best athletes in the country are here and we hope that they would come up with a fine performance in the Asian Games.”

Bachmann said the list was initially pegged at 181, but last-minute withdrawal from the 3×3 basketball squad, boxing, taekwondo, equestrian and judo as well as the wrong count of competitors in canoe-kayak reduced the total number of athletes to 272.

“The initial number was 281,” said Bachmann. “But some (national sports association) officials reached out to clarify their entry so the number was reduced to 272. Anyway, it’s still a strong and fighting team. We wish them all the best.”

The Philippines has entries in 31 sports, including mandatory sports like athletics and swimming, spectator sport like men’s basketball and women’s volleyball and potential gold mines like judo, taekwondo, boxing, bowling and weightlifting.

Also included are athletes from sports like archery, softball, bridge, canoe-kayak, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, gymnastics, jet ski, karate, martial arts, sailing, sepak takraw, shooting, sports climbing, skateboarding, squash, table tennis, lawn tennis, triathlon and wrestling.

There would also be 63 coaches while the number of team officials like medical personnel, media and members of the secretariat have yet to be determined.