PH can win as many as 180 SEAG golds – Bambol

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2019 04:39:39 +0000

By NICK GIONGCO

Take it from someone who had a direct hand in the inclusion of 56 sports in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Congressman Bambol Tolentino, who headed the committee that took charge in picking the sports and the approval of 530 events, believes winning the overall crown is within reach.

REP. Bambol Tolentino

“A low of 130 (gold medals) and a high of 180 but if it goes beyond, the better,” said Tolentino, who also heads cycling apart from being a Tagaytay congressman.

“Do the math, if each NSA can win two gold medals, that’d already be 112 and there are many NSAs that will win more than two gold medals,” said Tolentino.

The Philippines, being the host, is fielding the biggest contingent with 1,115 athletes while the other major SEA nation like regional powerhouse Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are sending at least a thousand each.

Vietnam, which has never slipped from the top three since first hosting the biennial event in 2003, is dispatching over 900 bets.

“Remember, I was the one who raised the number of sports to 56 and we studied this carefully,” added Tolentino.

Combat sports – boxing, jujitsu, judo, sambo, kickboxing and wrestling, is expected to shore up the Philippines’ output while danc
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