PHILIPPINE Sports Commission William “Butch” Ramirez reiterated on Saturday his call to sports leaders and the public alike to look at the big picture as regards to the country’s participation in the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games.
“We must remind everyone that our participation in the Vietnam SEA Games has a bearing in our build up to our competing in bigger international competitions such as the Asian Games and Olympics,” Ramirez, who celebrated his birthday at the thick of the fight in the SEA Games last Wednesday, said. “Let us look at the bigger picture.”
“Let us not judge or criticize our athletes who have competed and are still competing in Vietnam,” said Ramirez as he regularly monitored the progress in Hanoi from his PSC offices in Manila. “Let us not discourage them and continue to support them all the way.”
“There will be a time and place for that,” he said “We will continue to pray for their safety and health, whatever their performance. We are very happy and proud of our athletes and coaches who fought hard for our country and people.”
The Philippines ran fourth in terms of gold medals won with 43 as of noon on Saturday, three days before the Games that Vietnam is hosting for the second time after 2003 will come to a close.
Vietnam was unreachable atop the medals race with 169 golds medals, a hundred more than second place Thailand. The hosts also had 100 silvers and 98 bronzes, a massive haul on the competition arena that could have sparkled even more had the games been organized smoothly and efficiently.
Singapore was fourth with 47 golds, while Malaysia was below the Philippines at sixth with 36 gold medals. Myanmar has eight golds, Cambodia seven and Laos and Brunei one each. East Timor has two silvers and one bronze.
“Keep the fighting spirit alive as our Filipino athletes show their resilience in achieving their goals for our beloved country,” Ramirez said.
The PSC chief cited the national judo team as a prime example in overcoming challenges even before they headed for Vietnam.
Kiyomi Watanabe is injured and Mariya Takahaski has to fulfill her academic obligations in Japan, thus forcing them out of the Games. They won gold medals in the Philippine 2019 SEA Games.
Rather than be discouraged, the Philippine Judo Federation, under the new leadership of its president Alexander “Ali” Sulit, trained hard its other athletes for Hanoi.
Because of a never-say-die mentality, judo already delivered two golds so far courtesy of Rena Furukawa and Shugen Nakano one day after the other in women’s 57 kgs and men’s 66 kgs, respectively.
“This is the kind of robust resourcefulness and heart we expect from our athletes and their sports leaders, who don’t give excuses but do what needs to be done for their respective sport. We salute Sulit and the national judo team!” Ramirez said.
The can-do attitude exemplified by the national judo squad, Ramirez said, was one major reason why the PSC spent P232 million for the Philippines’s participation in the regional sports showcase.
The Philippines fielded 641 athletes in 38 of 40 sports in the Vietnam Games.