80 golds to make it to top 3 – Jolly

The Philippines must win at least 80 gold medals if it wants to finish in the top three of the 2015 Singapore Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in June.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Jolly Gomez made the assessment after being asked what it would take for the Philippines to improve on its seventh place finish two years ago in Myanmar.

To do this, he said, the Philippines must perform well in swimming, gymnastics, athletics, shooting, and cycling.

"If these five sports deliver, may pag-asa tayo (to get into the top 3)," said Gomez.

During the 2013 Myanmar SEA Games, the country won just eight golds from four of the five sports mentioned by Gomez. Six came from athletics and two from cycling.

In all, 103 gold medals were staked in athletics, cycling, shooting, and swimming in that edition.

"That's our wake-up call," said Gomez, referring to the performance of the four sports.

Gomez, however, is also banking on archery, boxing, taekwondo, wushu, wrestling, and judo, as well as team sports like basketball, to carry the fight following their consistent showing in the biennial meet.

"Those sports are all doing their jobs, they're doing exactly what they're expected to do. Team sports can also deliver, but it's in those five sports that's going to give us a hard time," Gomez said.

Gomez currently handles the performance evaluation of athletics, and he had already predicted that it can win 12 gold medals if its athletes maintain or surpass their present performance.

The PH team won 29 gold, 34 silver, and 38 bronze medals to settle for seventh overall, its lowest performance to date. Thailand topped the medal tally with 107 gold medals, followed by Myanmar and Vietnam with 86 and 74 golds, respectively.

National athletes, however, will have a shorter time to prepare for the SEAG as the 2015 meet is scheduled in June instead of the traditional November or December calendar.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/80-golds-to-make-it-to-top-3-jolly/