30th SEAG hostilities explode today
Credit to Author: Jean Russel V. David| Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2019 16:30:53 +0000
The largest sporting event in Southeast Asia — the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) — goes full blast today as 8,750 athletes from 11 countries compete for 531 gold medals in 56 sports.
Host Philippines will be fielding in a 1,115-strong contingent in the biennial meet.
The PH six-man triathlon team is keen to bag the two gold medals at stake when the triathlon competition starts at 6 a.m. today at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic.
2017 SEAG silver medalist John Chicano will test his mettle along with compatriots Andrew Kim Remolino and Fernando Jose Casares.
Filipina triathlete Kim Mangrobang will defend her title in the women’s division at 8 a.m.
Mangrobang, who spent the last couple of years training in Portugal, said that she won’t settle for anything less than a gold medal.
She will team up with 2017 SEAG silver medalist Ma. Claire Adorna and 2018 Asian Games finisher Kimberly Michelle Kilgroe.
The cycling competition will also commence today, as the finals of women’s mountain bike cross country rolls off in Tatlong Bungo, Brgy. Niyugan, Laurel, Batangas at 9 a.m. followed by the men’s finals at 1 p.m.
The 20-man Philippine national arnis team will display their prowess in the country’s national martial art and sport against Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
Twenty gold medals are at stake in arnis, eight of them to be contested today in the full contact live stick finals men’s (55-kilogram and less), men’s (+55 kg less 60 kg), men’s (+60 kg less 65 kg), men’s (+65 kg), women’s (50 kg and less), women’s (+50 less 55 kg), women’s +55 kg and less 60 kg) and women’s +60 kg) at the Angeles University Foundation in Angeles, Pampanga.
Arnis will hold two more medal matches on Monday and Tuesday with eight and four gold medals up for grabs, respectively.
In weightlifting, the Philippines and Thailand will renew their rivalry at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
National Open Champion Mary Flor Diaz will launch her campaign in the 45-kg women’s finals while John Ceniza will see action in the 55-kg men’s finals.
Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam will also compete in weightlifting.
Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz and fellow Olympian Nestor Colomia will see action on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
The national men’s polo team could bag the Philippines’ first gold medal as they plunge into finals action at 3 p.m. today against Malaysia at the Inigo Zobel Polo Facility.
The Philippine team will be led by Augustus Aguirre, who scored five of the country’s six goals in its previous game against Indonesia.
Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam will dispute the bronze medal at 1 p.m.
Kurash, a style of folk wrestling practiced in Central Asia will make its debut in the biennial meet at 1 p.m. at the Laus Group Event Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
The wushu competition, on the other hand, will be held at the World Trade Center in Manila with four gold medals at stake.
The men’s and women’s senior singles final free skating under the discipline of figure skating will be held at the SM Megamall ice rink in Mandaluyong City.
The men’s and women’s floorball finals, featuring Thailand and Singapore will be held at the UP College of Human Kinetics Gym at 2 p.m. The Philippines and Malaysia will vie for the bronze medal at 3 p.m.
Sepak takraw’s hoop event finals will be held at the Subic Gym.