Here we go

BANGKOK, Thailand — Team Philippines buckles down to business after a night filled with color, festivities and camaraderie as action in various fronts erupts on Wednesday in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games here.

All eyes are on the men’s and women’s mountain bike downhill event entries for the country’s potential first gold medal in the biennial meet.

John Derrick Farr, who ruled the competition in the 2019 Manila edition, and Simon Peter Servillon will compete in the men’s final at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, two hours away from the capital. Naomi Gardoce and Lea Denise Belgira are also in the running for gold in the women’s side.

Both divisions will begin at 10:30 a.m. (Manila time).

Meanwhile, women’s tennis star Alex Eala and Alas Pilipinas men’s ace Bryan Bagunas proudly led Team Philippines’ march in the traditional parade of nations during the opening rites held at the Rajamangala Stadium here.

No less than the Thai King Vajiralongkor led the opening ceremony and declared that the two-week sports spectacle that was established to foster friendship, camaraderie and sportsmanship among 11 Southeast Asian countries formally open.

Filipino artistic gymnasts begin their quest for glory sans Paris Olympics double-gold medalist Carlos Yulo in the qualification round at the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.

The men’s apparatus qualification begins at 10 a.m. while the women’s qualifiers start at 3 p.m. The medal round for both divisions is scheduled Thursday.

“Even if Caloy is not in the men’s team, I’m confident because it’s only SEA games,” a confident Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion said.

“If Carlos was here for sure he’s gonna win it but as he’s not here, I think our other gymnasts can do it you know that’s why he’s giving a chance to the other gymnasts.”

Yulo, a nine-time SEA Games gold medalist, skipped the competition after the host limited gymnasts to competing for only one apparatus medal.

The individual and team all-around events were also scrapped.

Two years ago, Yulo ruled the parallel bars and individual all-around while winning silver in still rings and team all-around.

Ivan Cruz and Juancho Miguel Besana, who topped the floor exercise and vault apparatus, respectively, two years ago, banner the men’s squad. Justine Ace De Leon, who campaigned with Cruz, Besana, and Yulo at the World Championships last October, is also competing.

The women’s squad will pin its hopes on Paris Olympian and 2021 Hanoi SEA Games double-gold medalist Aleah Finnegan as well as Yulo’s sister Elaiza, who is making her SEA Games debut. Also participating is Haylee Garcia, who teamed up with Finnegan and Elaiza in the World Championships.

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio heads five other boxers competing in the Round of 16 starting a 3 p.m. (Manila time) at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center.

Petecio will fight in the women’s 60kgs weight class while Claudine Veloso climbs the ring in the 54kgs.

Fighting in the men’s division are Flint Jara (54kgs), Ian Clark Bautista (57kgs) and Junmilardo Ogayre (60kgs).

Over at the Nimibutr Stadium, Gilas Pilipinas men’s and women’s teams brace for stiff competition in the 3x3 basketball event.

The men’s squad of Ange Kouame, Janrey Pasaol, Joseph Eriobu and Joseph Sedurifa battles Vietnam at 12:50 p.m. (Manila time) before taking on Malaysia at 5:20 p.m.

The distaff side of Mikka Cacho, Kaye Pingol, Reynalyn Ferrer and Jhaz Joson launch their own gold medal bid at 12 noon against Indonesia before crossing paths with Malaysia at 7:45 p.m.

Both Gilas teams settled for silver two years ago in Cambodia, with the men’s team falling short against the host nation while the ladies bowed to Vietnam in the final.

Newly crowned Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Annie Ramirez, on the other hand, is favored to carry the nation’s pride in the 57-kilogram division at the Rangsit University Recreation Building.

The three-time SEA Games gold medalist is optimistic not only of her chances but also for the rest of the 43-athlete men’s and women’s jiujitsu squads.