SEAG medalists get PSC incentives

MANILA, Philippines - Christmas came a few days early for Filipino SEA Games medalists.

The Philippine Sports Commission yesterday released the cash incentives totalling P8,060,000 to 350 athletes who brought home a total of 252 medals in last month’s biennial meet in Indonesia.

Billiards double gold medal winner Iris Ranola emerged the top money earner after receiving checks worth P200,000 – P100,000 each for sweeping the 8-ball and 9-ball crowns.

Bowler Frederick Ong pocketed P195,000 for a gold in the men’s singles (P100,000), silvers in doubles (P25,000), masters (P50,000) and team of five (P16,666.67) and a bronze in trios (P3,333.33).

Grandmaster Wesley So got P150,000 for his golds in the individual blitz and individual standard while fin swimmer Daniel Faith Torres received the same amount after winning a gold in the women’s 50-meter and 100m surface.

The event was attended by some of the country’s top sports officials headed by Philippine Sports commissioner Chito Loyzaga, who spoke in behalf of PSC chairman Richie Garcia, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr.

“I know everybody will be happy and they deserved it, they worked hard for this,” said Loyzaga.

Taekwondo’s John Paul Lizardo and Kristine Elaine Alora, athletics’ Marestella Torres and Rene Herrera, billiard’s Dennis Orcollo, boxers Josie Gabuco, Alice Kate Aparri, Charly Suarez and Dennis Galvan, cycling’s Alfie Catalan and John Renee Mier, fencing’s Walbert Mendoza, equestrian’s Martin Diego Lorenzo, judo’s Nancy Quillotes, rowing’s Nestor Cordova, wallclimbing’s Elaina Kristine Flores, wrestling’s Margarito Angana and Jason Balabal and wushu’s Mark Eddiva and Eduard Folayang were the other individual gold medalists and each took home P100,000.

Other gold medal winners in tandem, troika or as a team were archery’s men’s compound team, men’s basketball, baseball, men’s butler doubles, mixed butler team, women’s and men’s softball, women’s poomsae team and traditional boat race.

A total of P4.1 million were given to gold medalists, P3.15 million for silver medal winners and P810,000 for bronze medalists.

The incentives for coaches amounting to P4,030,000 will be released before the year ends.