Athletics squad to miss opening rites

BANGKOK – The 61-member athletics team will miss the opening ceremonies, including the parade led by two-time Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena, of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at Rajamangala Stadium here on Tuesday night.

This was revealed Monday afternoon by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham Tolentino after the SEA Games Federation (SEAG) Council meeting at the Four Wings Hotel here.

“Their king (King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, also known as Rama X) will attend the opening ceremonies, and the security is so tight that the military and police might not be able to handle it. The Royal Guards will handle the extremely tight security. There were a few hours before opening, and there were lockdowns, including at airports. "Our athletes will arrive in the afternoon and be in a kind of lockdown there for a few hours," Tolentino said, relaying information he received from a counterpart official from the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.

Among those missing the opening rites, aside from Obiena, are his fellow Olympian and six-time SEA Games 400-meter hurdles gold winner Eric Cray, 2019 200m dash gold medalist Kristina Knott, Lauren Hoffman, and John Tolentino.

Tolentino said the lockdown at the Bangkok Airport forced the POC to include officials in the parade, wearing tracksuits and shoes to cover the 61 T&F players, raising the PH delegation's allotment to 200.

On the country's campaign in the 11-nation, 2-week-long, biennial sportsfest, Tolentino said: "If we just surpass the 58 gold medals from the last campaign (2023 Cambodia), we'll be happy."

The flag-raising ceremony for the 11 participating countries in the Centennial SEA Games was also held on Monday at the Huamark National Stadium.

The Philippines finished fifth in the 2003 meet, behind Vietnam (136 gold), Thailand (108), Indonesia (87), and Cambodia (81). (POC Media Pool)

POC Chief Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino