Main wave of RP athletes off today

HANOI — The main bulk of the Philippine delegation to the 22nd Southeast Asian Games here and in the seaport city of Ho Chih Minh is scheduled to arrive today.

A total of 385 officials and athletes from 14 sports will be coming in three separate flights —two via PAL, including a chartered plane, and one via Cathay Pacific.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain and commissioners Leon Montemayor and Michael Barredo head the 295-man group from swimming, diving, athletics, canoeing, gymnastics, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting and wrestling who are due here today.

Deputy chief of mission Capt. Reynaldo Jaylo (Ret.) leads the 90 officials and athletes from badminton, bodybuilding, basketball, chess, judo and tennis who are arriving in Ho Chih Minh.

Among the potential medalists in the big group are tracksters Eduardo Buenavista, the country’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony on Dec. 5, and Asian Grand Prix gold winner Lerma Bulauitan-Gabito, divers Sheila Mae Perez and Zardo Domenios, shooters Jethro Dionisio and Emerito Concepcion, wrestlers Marcus Valda, Michael Tumasis and Cristina Villanueva, chess Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor and the cagers, who are out to defend the title.

The rowers, cyclists, archers and water polo bets are already here and in Ho Chih Minh while the table tennis players arrived yesterday together with 12 officials and secretariat medical staffers.