Beach volley’s SEAG exclusion hurts PNVF
SISI Rondina and Bernadeth Pons will not get a chance to defend their Southeast Asian Games title after the organizers scratched beach volleyball event in the Malaysian edition next year.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PSC POOL
The Philippines’ medal campaign in the 34th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games suffered a major blow after several sports and events were left out of the 43-sport, 473-event program for next year’s edition in Malaysia.
Beach volleyball, rowing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and chess are among the sports that will not be contested, denying Filipinos at least six gold medals that they won in the previous SEA Games in Thailand, where they finished sixth overall in the last edition with 50 golds, 73 silvers and 154 bronzes.
Surfing, canoeing, traditional boat racing and triathlon were also excluded from the program.
The final list of events was determined after deliberations involving the Olympic Council of Malaysia, the Malaysia SEA Games Organizing Committee and the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) Executive Committee, in accordance with the federation’s charter and rules.
“The approval of the final list of 473 events provides greater clarity for all 11-member NOCs of SEAGF to plan and intensify their preparations for the 34th SEA Games Malaysia 2027, scheduled to take place from September 18-19, 2027 across four clusters — Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Penang and Johor,” said Dr. Nur, deputy president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and chair of the SEAGF Executive Committee.
Among the biggest casualties are the Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball team, led by Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, which will not get the chance to defend the gold medal it won after ending Thailand’s reign last year.
Rowers Joanie Delgaco and Kristine Paraon will also miss the opportunity to defend their women’s double sculls title.
Other Filipino gold medalists affected include kickboxer Zyra Bon-as, who won the women’s 48-kilogram low kick event, and jiu-jitsu fighters Dean Michael Roxas and Kimberley Anne Custodio, champions in the men’s 85kg and women’s 48kg ne-waza divisions, respectively.
Women’s boxing was also dropped, effectively denying Paris Olympics bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas to defend their respective titles.