Pinoys check in at Jakarta

Members of the Philippine delegation started leaving for Jakarta in quests for golden performances in the 18th Asian Games that formally kicksoff at the massive Bung Karno Gelora Stadium this weekend.

First to leave were a pair of sailors in Emerson Villena and Lester Troy Tayong, who quietly flew to the Indonesian metropolis on Aug. 7 together with their official in Ridgely Balladares.

Two days after, deputy chief of mission Robert Bachmann formally checked in together with several staff of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Aside from setting up the secretariat, Bachmann was to attend the crucial delegation registration meeting where he entered all the names of the 272 athletes who will compete in the world’s biggest athletic conclave outside the Olympics.

Bachmann successfully fulfilled his mission as the men’s basketball team did not encounter problems during the general technical meeting despite the late entry of Don Trollano, who replaced National Basketball Association (NBA) player Jordan Clarkson.

“My goal is to get everybody on board. Nobody should be left behind. We are here as a team, we should compete as a team,” said Bachmann, trusted aide of chief of mission Richard Gomez.

Rising star Carlos Yulo of gymnastics is set to arrive Wednesday, a day before the bulk of Filipino athletes, coaches and officials, including Gomez and another deputy in Manny Cabili, formally arrive. They will be here in time for the traditional flag-raising ceremony at the Athletes’ Village.

“The main bulk is flying on the 16th,” said Bachmann. “We will have a flag-raising ceremony, so we expect everybody to join.”

The country is competing in 272 events in 31 sports in a bid to surpass its solitary gold-medal finish in the previous staging in Incheon in 2014.

Hopes are high on Yulo, boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and jiu-jitsu fighters Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez.