SEAG winners Busan-bound

Unless they are now retired or simply out of shape, Filipino athletes who won gold medals in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur or at least bronze medals in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok are almost assured of slots to this year’s Asiad in Busan, Korea.

This was agreed upon yesterday during the Philippine Olympic Committee board meeting in Makati where Ernie Fajardo of billiards and snooker was also named deputy chief of mission for the 14th staging of the quadrennial games. Tom Carrasco of triathlon was earlier named chief of mission.

Only minor details regarding the criteria set by the Busan Asian Games Task Force are being studied by the POC for final approval. Also part of the task force are representatives of the Philippine Sports Commission led by chairman Carlos Tuason, training director Michael Keon and Ramon Suzara.

Once approved, the PSC will take over the funding, training and monitoring of the national athletes who will try to improve the country’s dismal finish in Bangkok four years ago where it only won a single gold medal courtesy of Gandy Valle and Romeo Villanueva of billiards.

In last year’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, the Philippines won a total of 31 gold medals courtesy of 43 athletes, including the 12-man basketball team. Of these athletes, only Ma. Nelia Sy-Ycasas of taekwondo and Mark Rosales of wushu won at least a bronze medal in the last Asian Games.

Overall, the Philippines won a single gold, five silver and 12 bronze medals in Bangkok. But some of these medalists are no longer ineligible for the Busan Games with the likes of Eric Canoy of boxing now retired and Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales of golf now a professional.

"There are different reasons why these athletes can miss slots to this year’s Asian Games. Either they are already retired, injured or out of shape, or their previous best have been surpassed by other athletes before a specific deadline," said a member of the task force.