Will 'homecourt' propel Philippines in SEA Games?

MANILA, Philippines — Familiarity with playing conditions and home crowd support are factors that could provide the edge in winning close games for host Philippines in the coming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with 58 competition venues laid out for 530 events in 56 sports.

In SEA Games history, six of the last nine host countries took overall honors with the most gold medals. Since the Philippines joined the SEA Games in 1977, 11 of 21 host countries wound up at the top of the ladder. In the last nine stagings, the host countries that failed to take top honors were Laos in 2009, Myanmar in 2013 and Singapore in 2015.  The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam took the overall championship only when they hosted. Vietnam finished No. 1 in 2003, the Philippines in 2005 and Malaysia in 2001 and 2017.

The Philippines ranked No. 3 when it made its hosting debut in 1981 with a haul of 55 gold, 55 silver and 77 bronze for a total of 187 medals. Indonesia was first with 85, 73 and 56 for a total of 214 while Thailand took second with 62, 45 and 41 for a total of 148. Although the Philippines had more total medals, it slid to third because Thailand had more golds, 62 to 55.  

In 1991, the Philippines hosted for the second time and improved its standing to runner-up with 90 gold, 62 silver and 86 bronze for a total of 238 medals. Indonesia was first with 92, 86 and 67 for a total of 245. One Philippine gold medal in boxing was withdrawn because the Thai finalist tested positive for a prohibited substance so the match was cancelled even as the Filipino was declared the winner.

In 2005, the Philippines won its first and only overall championship with 112 gold, 85 silver and 93 bronze for a total of 290 medals. Thailand came next with 87, 79 and 117 for a total of 283. The best Philippine finish in the SEA Games without hosting was second place in Singapore in 1983.

This year, the Philippines is fielding 1,094 athletes to vie for 530 gold medals. PHISGOC executive director Tom Carrasco yesterday confirmed that 58 venues will be mobilized for the SEA Games, including the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena in Bulacan for the opening ceremony. The Athletics Stadium in the New Clark City will be used for the closing ceremony. The Athletes Village will be situated in the New Clark City.

In Southern Luzon, there will be competitions in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna. Polo will be played at the Miguel Romero and Inigo Zobel fields in Calatagan. BMX cycling will take place at the Tagaytay Centrum while road cycling will be in Batangas City and mountain bike cycling in Laurel. Skateboarding will be held in the Tagaytay Skatepark and Maragondon. Football will be played in Biñan and Imus aside from the Rizal Memorial field. Underwater hockey is scheduled at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus. Netball will be at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex and indoor hockey in Los Baños.

Included in the Subic cluster is surfing which will be held in San Juan, La Union. Subic will be the staging grounds for canoe/kayak/traditional boat race, chess, muay, pencak silat, table tennis, triathlon, duathlon, open water swimming, modern pentathlon, sailing, windsurfing, sepak takraw, beach handball, beach volleyball, rowing and shotgun shooting.

Several venues are in the Metro Manila cluster. The PhilSports Arena or ULTRA will be used exclusively for volleyball. The newly-refurbished Ninoy Aquino Stadium will be for weightlifting and taekwondo. Squash will be played at the Manila Polo Club while 3x3 basketball and e-sports are scheduled at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. Badminton will be played in Muntinlupa and bowling at the Coronado Lanes in EDSA Starmall. The renovated Rizal Memorial Basketball Coliseum will be for artistic, rhythmic and aerobic gymnastics. Kickboxing will be at the Cuneta Astrodome. The MOA Arena will be the venue for 5x5 basketball. Boxing will be held at the PICC Forum 1-2-3 and billiards at the Manila Hotel Tent. Ice hockey will be at SM MOA while figure and speed skating at SM MegaMall. Wushu, karatedo and fencing will be staged at the World Trade Center Halls A, B and C. Floorball will be at the College of Human Kinetics gym in UP Diliman and obstacle course in Filinvest, Alabang. Shooting, except for shotgun, will be at the Marine Corps Training Center in Makati. Tennis and soft tennis will be at the Rizal Memorial courts.