SEAG Task Force to monitor athletes' preparations

The Southeast Asian Games Task Force has assigned its members several sports disciplines, which they need to oversee in the country’s preparations for this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in November. The members of the SEA Games Task Force are Philippine Olympic Committee vice-president Manny Lopez, POC board member Jeff Tamayo, deputy secretary general Mark Joseph, and commissioner Akiko Thomson-Guevara of the Philippine Sports Commission. The composition was determined after the SEA Games Task Force met with POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and the joint chiefs of mission — PSC commissioner Chito Loyzaga and canoe kayak president Dr. Sim Chi Tat. Lopez was designated for boxing, badminton, billiards, rowing, sailing, dragon boat, water skiing, fencing, canoeing and weightlifting, while Tamayo was tasked to oversee taekwondo, karate, judo, pencak silat, shooting, wushu, wall climbing, soft tennis, tennis, wrestling and sepak takraw. Joseph was assigned to aquatics (swimming, diving, waterpolo, open water swimming), archery, equestrian, fin swimming, gymnastics, softball and table tennis, while Thomson-Guevara was delegated to basketball, baseball, bowling, football, futsal, golf, petanque, volleyball, athletics and chess. Cycling, a sport whose leaders have yet to end their long feud, will be handled directly by the POC president in the hope of fielding a unified national team for the SEA Games. Joseph said that the task force will be receiving proposals for the composition of the national team. The group will also monitor the training of the NSAs. Joseph said that the task force will meet with the different NSAs on February 23 at the Philsports auditorium to discuss their preparations for the SEA Games. Indonesia is hoping to set up the biggest SEA Games ever as 44 sports are tentatively in the calendar of events. But Cojuangco is still batting for the inclusion of arnis and rugby, sports that stand a good chance of giving the Philippines additional medals. - KY, RCJ, Reuben Terrado, GMA News