BANGKOK, Thailand --- The Philippine flag flutters proudly in the warm Thai air on Monday afternoon outside the massive Rajamangala Stadium here.
It was an inspiring scene to fire up Team Philippines.
A record-breaking delegation of around 1,600 Filipino athletes and officials will wear the tricolors on their chests, aspiring to bring glory to the nation when the 33rd Southeast Asian Games formally unfolds on Tuesday at the 51,000-seater stadium.
Opening program, that is expected to show off each member country’s athletes while incorporating host nation Thailand’s cultural heritage and artistic beauty, will begin at 6 p.m. (Manila time) with no less than Thai King Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua in attendance.
Tennis star Alex Eala and Alas Pilipinas ace hitter Bryan Bagunas will march in front of the Philippine delegation as flag bearers.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino set a modest goal of replicating the country’s 58 gold medal haul in the Cambodia edition of the biennial meet two years ago.
“If we can equal our result last time, that will be enough. If we can surpass our 58 gold medals, that’s a big accomplishment already,” Tolentino said in a news briefing at the Grand Four Winds Convention Hotel on Monday, noting that the Filipinos finished fifth in 2023 with 58 gold, 86 silver and 116 bronze medals.
“Who knows, we might be able to breach that. If we can reach 60, that’s okay for me. Hopefully, we can beat our gold record (in Cambodia).”
On the other hand, the original 200 athletes and officials set to march for Team Philippines during the traditional parade of nations have been trimmed down to 140.
Some of the athletes on the list won’t be able to attend as they are set to arrive in the afternoon, where a security lockdown will be imposed due to the King’s unplanned appearance in the opening ceremonies.
“The King will watch the opening so there will be a lockdown by around 1 or 2 p.m. So those athletes who are supposed to join the parade will arrive at around 12. It will take some time for them to get out of the airport they won’t make it in time before the lockdown,” Tolentino said, adding that he will not be in attendance during the traditional parade of colors to give the spotlight to Filipino delegates in the biggest, most prestigious athletic conclave in the region.
“It’s their time to shine. The opening ceremony is for them.”
Unfortunately, star pole vaulter EJ Obiena, Olympians Eric Cray and Kristina Knott and the rest of the 61-man athletics team will not be able to join the parade due to the looming lockdown at the Bangkok Airport.
“But the flag bearers will be there since Alex and Bryan arrived today,” Tolentino said.
Meanwhile, the unbeaten men’s baseball squad look for its fourth straight win against Vietnam starting 9:30 a.m. at the Sirikit Main Baseball Stadium.
The women’s cricket squad, on the other hand, opens its campaign against Myanmar at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground starting 11:30 a.m. while the men’s squad battles Malaysia at the Terdthai Cricket Ground at 1:30 p.m.
Sepak takraw fires off at the Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium.