RP ends up 6th overall at SEA Games but 2nd in medals count

The Philippines recorded its worst finish on Saturday at the 24th Southeast Asian Games, weighing in at sixth with a gold medal count of just 41, compared to topnotcher Thailand with 183. And yet Filipino athletes showed how competitive they were as they amassed so many silver and bronze medals that they ranked second in total medals, 228 compared to Thailand's 409. The big let-down for the Filipinos is that in the 23rd SEA Games they topped the biennial event. And despite the some accusations by the Thais of biased officiating in that edition of the games, they came in a close second in the overall rankings. Back then, the Philippines got 113 gold, 84 silver, and 94 bronze medals for a total of 283. Thailand got 87 gold, 78, silver, and 118 bronze for a total of 283. And Vietnam, which ranked third then as it does now, got 71 gold, 68 silver, and 89 bronze for a total of 228. In this year's SEA Games, Malaysia, which finished fifth in 2005, came in second, with a wide difference in gold medal count from Thailand – 68 compared to 183. Since joining the SEA Games in 1977, the Philippines has topped it only once (2005 in Manila), finishing at No. 2 twice (1983 in Singapore, 1991 Manila), at No. 3 six times (1997 in Kuala Lumpur, 1981 in Manila, 1985 in Bangkok, 1987 in Jakarta, 1993 in Singapore, 1995 in Chiang Mai). It finished at No. 4 three times (1979 in Jakarta, 1997 in Jakarta, 2003 in Hanoi) and at No. 5 three times (1989 in Kuala Lumpur, 1999 in Bandar Seri Begawan, 2001 in Kuala Lumpur). The 24th SEA Games is the first time that the Philippines dropped to sixth place. So how did the Filipino athletes perform in each of the sports they competed in at the 24th SEA Games? On a per-sport ranking basis, they ranked No.1 in three sports, No. 2 in 13 sports, and No. 3 in eight sports. But they fell below third place in a total of 15, sports. Following is a breakdown of their per-sport rankings, according to results posted at the SEA Games website: 1st place

• Softball (followed by Singapore and Indonesia)
• Basketball (shared with Malaysia, followed by Indonesia, Thailand)
• Triathlon (followed by Thailand and Malaysia)

• Baseball (below Thailand but above Indonesia)
• Billiards and snooker (below Thailand but above Indonesia)
• Boxing (below Thailand but above by Malaysia)
• Mountain cycling (below Thailand but above Vietnam)
• Dance sport (below Thailand but above Malaysia)
• Diving (below Malaysia but above Indonesia)
• Fencing (below Thailand but above Vietnam)
• Golf (below Thailand but above Indonesia)
• Rowing (below Thailand but above Indonesia)
• Squash (below Malaysia but above Thailand)
• Swimming (below Singapore but above Malaysia)
• Water polo (below Singapore but above Indonesia)
• Wushu (below Vietnam but above Malaysia)

• Archery (below Indonesia and Malaysia in second)
• Women's basketball (below Malaysia and Thailand)
• Road cycling (below Thailand and Indonesia)
• Track cycling (below Malaysia and Indonesia)
• Muay thai (below Thailand and Laos)
• Rugby (below Thailand and Singapore)
• Tennis (below Thailand and Indonesia)
• Wrestling (below Vietnam and Indonesia)

Athletics (fifth, after Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia)
• Bodybuilding (sixth and last, Thailand in first followed by Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore)
• Bowling (fifth and last, after Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia)
• Equestrian (four and last after Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia)
• Futsal (fifth and last after Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia)
• Judo (sixth of eight countries, below Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia)
• Karate (fifth of nine countries, below Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand)
• Lawn bowls (fourth of five countries, below Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam)
• Pencak silat (seventh of nine countries, below Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar)
• Petanque (fifth of seven countries, below Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam)
• Sailing (fifth of six countries, below Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia)
• Shooting (sixth of seven countries, below Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar)
• Sepak takraw (fifth of six countries, below Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar)
• Taekwondo (below Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia)
• Weightlifting (fourth of five countries, below Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam)

- GMANews.TV