Triathlete Andrew Kim Remolino is crossing his fingers that the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam will push through. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two of the Philippines’ top bets in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), Cebuano triathlete Andrew Kim Remolino and Marathoner Mary Joy Tabal are crossing their fingers that the meet will push through with its original schedule amidst the host nation considering its postponement.
The 31st SEA Games to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam is being considered to be postponed to July next year from its original date in November this year due to the rising COVID-19 cases there.
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino announced last June 25, 2021 to all the stakeholders of the Philippine delegation that the Vietnamese organizers have sought a 14-day window to decide whether to hold the biennial games this year or next year or to cancel it.
With this setback, the 21-year-old Remolino, the 2019 SEA Games silver medalist in the men’s triathlon event said that he was still hoping that the biennial meet would push through.
“I’m very hopeful it will push through because we’ve already trained for the competition. But if the organizers decide to reschedule it to next year, then we can do nothing, we’ll just have to continue training,” said triathlete Remolino.
He will compete in September 19’s Subit International Triathlon (SUBIT) in Subic Bay, Zambales which serves as the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) SEA Games qualifiers along with four other Cebuanos in Raven Faith Alcoseba, Renz Wynn Corbin, Nicole Marie Del Rosario, and CJ Lipura.
Also, Remolino said that they would need to train harder and adjust even more if the SEA Games would be held next year considering the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China is scheduled in September 2022.
Marathon Queen Mary Joy Tabal hopes also that the SEA Games will push through, but she looks at the bright side of the situation, that if the games will be postponed then her fellow marathoners and athletes will have more time to prepare for the competition. | Mary Joy Tabal Facebook account (file photo)
Meanwhile, for Tabal, an Olympian and a 2019 SEA Games silver medalist in the women’s marathon said that she was saddened for her fellow athletes since they were really looking forward to compete in the SEA Games.
“We have poured so much for our training and preparation despite the pandemic. We’re hungry and excited to compete again. But I know that the governing body is also looking to protect our welfare because of COVID-19,” said Tabal.
“We will look forward to the next schedule, and we will just continue to do our part, and I really hope the PSC will continue supporting us,” she said.
Aside from the SEA Games, Tabal is scheduled to compete in he Tokyo Marathon in October.
She said that most of the athletes had not competed for more than a year already because of the pandemic.
But on the brighter side, Tabal said that the postponement of the SEA Games would buy them more time to prepare.
Tabal said that her fellow Filipino marathoners bound for SEA Games were a bit behind in training due to the lockdown imposed here in the country.
She said that other Southeast Asian countries had already started their training camps since last year.
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