Steep climb

We will go to SEA Games prepared and ready to win.

EJ Obiena and Team Philippines are tipped to have a tough time in the 30th SEA Games.

The 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is slowly emerging to be the toughest ever as powerhouse squads are poised to send massive delegations in a bid for the overall title.

Reports from Kuala Lumpur have it that the Olympic Council of Malaysia will be sending 1,063 contingents to compete in 52 of the 56 scheduled sports in the prestigious biennia meet set from 30 November to 11 December at the New Clark City in Tarlac.

Malaysian Olympic chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said they would be sending a big delegation not only to expose their athletes to a high level of competition, but also to defend the overall crown against powerhouse teams like Singapore, Indonesia and, of course, the Philippines, which would be hosting the Games for the fourth time.

The Malaysians are marching with high morale.

They plucked 145 gold, 91 silver and 86 bronze medals to win the overall crown in the previous SEA Games in 2017 with the gymnasts, cyclists, divers, silat fighters, tracksters and bowlers combining for 64 mints to turn in the lion’s share of their haul.

“When I asked my counterparts in the Philippines, they noted that they received almost equal participation from other countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore,�? Mohamad Norza told Malaysian journalists, adding that they want to give opportunities and exposure to new and unfamiliar sports like underwater hockey, kurash, sambo and ballroom dancing.

“We will go to SEA Games prepared and ready to win.�?

This is the biggest delegation that the Malaysians sent to a major international competition outside their country after deploying 1,114 athletes in the 24th edition in Korat, Thailand in 2007.

They also fielded 1,235 athletes in the biennial meet in Kuala Lumpur.

“This year’s contingent is definitely the biggest we’re sending outside the country, therefore, expectations are high from the public for us to deliver,�? said National Sports Council director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail.

“But I must admit that surpassing the 145 gold medals we achieved in 2017 will be very difficult.�?

Also tipped to send a big delegation is Singapore.

Singapore National Olympic Council Chris Chan said they would take advantage of the 529 events in 56 sports that the host country had programmed for the biennial meet.

With that, they will be sending 585 athletes, most of them swimmers and divers, who have greatly contributed to their golden harvest in the past several editions of the Games.

“The hosts have been magnanimous and they have included all the sports that we have appealed for to be at the SEA Games,�? Chan told Straits Times.

“Including those sports makes no sense because they have very little chances of winning. But they still put them on the list and we are very grateful for that.�?

Meanwhile, the Indonesians would be sending a big delegation, but budgetary limitations forced some of them to dig deep into their pockets.

Indonesian Olympic Committee president Erick Thohir said their government spent only $3.3 billion, or roughly P168 million, to finance the participation of 670 athletes in 45 sports.

Those who want to join may free to do so provided that they spend for their participation.

“The Indonesian government allocation to finance the sports delegation for the SEA Games won’t be changed and remains set at the 47 billion rupiah,�? Thohir said, adding that their women’s basketball team fund itself when it competed in the 28th SEA Games in Singapore.

Despite these challenges, the Philippines remains unbowed.

Deputy chief of mission Stephen Fernandez said they would be deploying around 115 athletes, who are all expected to deliver to duplicate their feat of winning the overall title in 2005.

Fernandez, a two-time Olympian, stressed that they are banking on their homecourt advantage and the winning streak brought by the victories of EJ Obiena, Nesthy Petecio and Caloy Yulo in the international arena.

Obiena and Yulo qualified in the Tokyo Olympics following a pair of impressive finishes while Petecio punched a gold medal in a world-class tournament in Russia.