THE Philippines has pinpointed 34 sports on the program of the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games that the country is hosting next year.
This marks the fourth time that the biennial multisport games in the region will be held in the Philippines after 1981, 1991 and 2005.
The 2019 games are set from November 30 to December 10 in Clark New City in Capas in Tarlac, Subic in Zambales and Metro Manila.
After a two-day SEA Games Federation Council Meeting at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the executive committee has named on the Philippines 2019 program athletics, aquatics, archery, badminton, baseball, softball, basketball, billiards, tenpin bowling, boxing, cycling, equestrian, polo, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, judo, jiu-Jitsu, karatedo, sailing, sepak takraw, shooting, squash, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, kurash, wushu, arnis, dancesport and muay.
The federation, however, said more sports could be added on the program but the national Olympic committees of the federation members have until June 13 to make their recommendations.
“We have come up with the program [sports] and we intend to finalize the events in another meeting in November,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Ricky Vargas told a news conference on Thursday at Shangri-La Hotel Bonifacio Global City.
Vargas said other sports are on the wait list. These are e-sports, netball, obstacle course, sambo, skateboarding, shuttlecock, surfing, water skiing, sports rock climbing and aero sports.
Vargas, who was with POC Chairman Rep. Abraham Tolentino and Secretary-General Patrick Gregorio Gregorio, expressed high hopes on improving the country’s sixth place finish in last year’s games in Kuala Lumpur, where Filipino athletes bagged a measly 23 gold, 34 silver and 63 bronze medals.
“We like to improve our standing from sixth place to at least a top three finish,” he said.
Sea Games Coordination Office Executive Director Ramon Suzara Ramon “Tats” Suzara bared that the opening ceremonies are tentatively set at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
More than 8,000 athletes and 2,000 technical officials are expected in the games which will have its main hub at the New Clark City, a world-class sport facility scheduled to be completed in July next year.
The Clark venue includes an athletes village that could accommodate and playing arenas for athletics, aquatics, shooting, martial arts, baseball, softball and archery.
Subic will host, triathlon, sailing and sepak takraw while in Manila such as basketball (Mall of Asia Arena and Cuneta Astrodome), volleball (Smart-Araneta Coliseum), boxing, gymnastics, wushu (smx Convention Center), equestrian and squash (Manila Polo Club) and 10-pin (bowling Makati Cinema Square). The athletes in Subic and Metro Manila will stay in hotels.
The official logo and mascots will be unveiled in July, while test events will begin in August.