23 SEAG gold medalists return to defend crowns

Twenty-three gold medalists in the 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) will have a chance to defend their crowns in this year's Laos Games slated this coming December.

The returning champions, according to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), will be bannered by multi-medalist swimmer Miguel Molina, who won four gold medals two years ago that earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Other RP bets out to defend their titles are swimmers Daniel Coakley, Ryan Arabejo and James Walsh, divers Shiela Mae Perez and Ryan Fabriga, boxer Annie Albania, taekwondo jin Tshomlee Go, Fil-Am netter Cecil Mamiit, and eight-time SEAG judo champion John Baylon.

The POC submitted a final list of 251 athletes and 135 officials to the Laos SEAG Organizing Committee early this week - 98 athletes and 78 officials more than the list which the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is willing to finance.

The final lineup, however, still appears to be lean with the presence of other reigning gold winners like cyclists Joey Barba, Marites Bitbit and Alfie Catalan, wushu artist Marianne Mariano, billiards players Ronnie Alcano and Rubilen Amit, archers Jennifer Chan and Abigail Tindugan, and athletics bets Julius Nierras, Rene Herrera, Henry Dagmil, Arniel Ferrera, and Marestella Torres.

Winners in the last edition who can't defend their titles because their events were scrapped are archer Amaya Paz, billiards tandem Antonio Gabica and Marlon Manalo, cyclist Victor Espiritu, dancesports pairs Emmanuel Reyes and Maira Rosete, fencers Michelle Bruzola and Emerson Segui and the epee squad of Armando Bernal, Avelino Victorino Jr. Almario Vizcayno and Wilfredo Vizcayno Jr., rowers Benjie Tolentino and Jose Rodriguez, duathlete Ryan Mendoza, wushu artist Willy Wang, the men's basketball and softball teams, and the women's softball squad.

Meanwhile, the PSC will remain firm in its decision to finance only the 153 athletes and 47 officials which it initially proposed.

"Considering the lateness of the changes that the POC would like to make, additional procurement of equipment and apparels and adjustments to all necessary arrangements that we have undertaken are highly impracticable," said PSC Chairman Harry Angping
in a letter to RP chief of mission Mario Tanchangco dated November 4.

"We would like to categorally state that the PSC remains firm in its stand to finance only those in the final listing that we agreed upon during our meeting. Consequently, the additional athletes that the POC is pushing for inclusion cannot be supported by this office," he added.