SEA Games – Page 10 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A close look at the Philippine Team triathletes and duathletes for the 31st SEA Games

April 16, 2022April 15, 2022carlocarrasco

If you are focused on the multisport events of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games, Hanoi 2021 and SEA Games 31) in Vietnam, then you might be interested to know which triathletes and duathletes will be representing the Philippines. Previously, it was mentioned that 2019 SEA Games gold medalists John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang were the favorites for the multisport events of the said games that will happen next month but if you want more details and specifics, check out what CNN Philippines posted on their website.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the CNN Philippines article. Some parts in boldface…

The country’s triathlon team is boasting a lineup of household names eyeing to continue its regional dominance in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next month.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, Triathlon Association of the Philippines president Tom Carrasco emphasized that the bunch of household names should give the country some considerable edge over opponents.

Kim Mangrobang, who ruled the 2019 SEA Games women’s individual event at Subic Bay, is set to banner the female team anew as she will be backed by former De La Salle University varsity swimmer Raven Faith Alcoseba and Lauren Plaza as a reserve.

Mangrobang secured the gold while compatriot Kim Kilgroe clinched the silver three years ago.

The same finish was tallied by the Philippine men’s triathlon team that year, with John Chicano taking home the gold and Andrew Kim Remolino nabbing the silver.

Come Vietnam, Remolino and fellow star Fernando Casares will aim to duplicate the feat, while defending champion Chicano sits kingly on the reserve list.

Meanwhile, Chicano is shifting focus to rule the duathlon event as he will be joined by Raymund Torio and reserve Casares in the men’s squad.

Mangrobang will have no rest as she will anchor the distaff side along with Alexandra Dumaran and Alcoseba as a reserve.

In 2019, Monica Torres snagged the gold in the women’s individual duathlon event while Joey Delos Reyes settled for a silver medal for the men’s side. Torres, Efraim Inigo, Paui Fornea, and Emmanuel Comendador clinched the bronze medal in the mixed relay category.

Ani De Leon, Melvin Fausto, and George Vilog are tapped as coaches of the Hanoi-bound Philippine triathlon team.

For the newcomers reading this, the mentioned Philippine Team triathletes/duathletes will be competing first in the Subic Bay International Triathlon set for May 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone before proceeding to Vietnam for the SEA Games triathlon and duathlon races. If you happen to be here in the Philippines and you are interested to see Mangrobang, Chicano, Remolino, Casares, Alcoseba and Torio in person, then I encourage you to visit Subic Bay and watch the May 1 triathlon live.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited about the triathlon and duathlon events of the SEA Games in Vietnam? Do you think that the Philippines will successfully win the gold medals in both multisports events at the SEA Games? Do you plan to watch the Subic Bay International Triathlon on May 1 in person to see the above mentioned Philippine Team triathletes/duathletes perform? How many triathletes or triathlon enthusiasts are there in your local community right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Come to Subic Bay for the big triathlon event on May 1, 2022

April 13, 2022April 12, 2022carlocarrasco

If you are looking for nice place for vacation and you also want to watch a triathlon event live, then you should come to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone where the 2022 edition of the Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) will be held at on May 1, 2022 (for external references, click here, here, here and here).

For the triathlon enthusiasts who just visited this blog for the first time, the SUBIT is the major Philippine triathlon event that immediately precedes the 31^st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31^st SEA Games, SEA Games 31 and Hanoi 2021) in Vietnam which itself will open formally on May 12 (references here, here and here) and it will have their own triathlon and duathlon medal events. 2019 SEA Games gold medalists John Chicano and Marion Kim Mangrobang are the favorites for the multisport medal events in this year’s SEA Games but before those games do happen, you will get to see them both as well as the other Philippine Team triathletes in action at the SUBIT.

For a quick look at who the Philippine Team triathletes are racing and what impact SUBIT had on Philippine triathlon in general, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin sports news report. Some parts in boldface…

The race is actually a tuneup for the PH team going to the biennial meet where it aims to maintain its 1-2 finish in the men’s and women’s division.

Racing in SUBIT are Fer Casares, Kim Remolino, John Chicano, Kim Mangrobang, Raven Alcoseba and Lauren Plaza.

“The SUBIT will be a good tuneup race for our SEAG-bound athletes, especially sa game strategy,” said Triathlon Association President Tom Carrasco.

“SUBIT has been at the forefront of development of Filipino triathletes. I’m proud to say that SUBIT has produced Southeast Asian Games champions and notable Asian Games performers.”

Among the SUBIT products were SEAG winners Chicano, Mangrobang, Nikko Huelgas and (Claire) Adorna, Youth Olympics qualifier Vicky Deldio, Columbia World Games qualifiers Carlo Pedregosa and Mirasol Abad, Birmingham World Games qualifier Casares, and 2018 Asian Games top 10 finisher Kim Kilgroe.

Meanwhile, Cebu-based junior triathlete Moira Frances Erediano, who topped a triathlon event in Dumaguete City very recently, is also joining the May 1 SUBIT.

This year’s SUBIT – formally called the NTT AST Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) 2022 – will have race distances of 1.5 kilometer swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run (Standard Distance), 750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run (Sprint Distance) and 500 M – 13 Km bike – 2.5 Km run (Super Sprint Distance) which will cover lots of places in the freeport. With regards to schedules, posted below are the details sourced from the event page at RaceYaya.com

This year’s SUBIT is a joint project of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and I Love Fun-tastic Subic Bay supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Standard Insurance, FINIS Philippines, Gatorade, Subic Bay Travelers Hotel, POCARI Sweat, and Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines Inc.

Where to enjoy food and drinks in Subic Bay?

*Visit Gourmet Garage and Xtremely Xpresso on your next visit to Subic Bay.*

Apart from being a sports tourism hot spot, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone also has nice places where you and your family or group of friends can spend time at and enjoy good food and drinks together such as Gourmet Garage Subic (social media here and here) and Xtremely Xpresso Café (social media here and here) to name a few. Personally, I enjoyed the two mentioned places a lot during my past visits. I would suggest you who read this to visit them on your next visit to Subic Bay.

Located at 1143 Argonaut Highway (very near the Starbucks Coffee shop there), Gourmet Garage Subic is one very fine place to dine in with others and their cooks specialize preparing really tasty meals such as the Truffle BBQ Orange Baby Back Ribs, the Grilled Salmon Tamari Quinoa, Grilled Javier’s Burger, Sake-marinated Fish Fillet, the Lamb Madras Curry, Gourmet Garage’s Beef Tapa and their signature pasta the Luglug Spaghettini to name a few. Looking for drinks, snacks, cakes, condiments and bread? They have them too! Their venue also has a fine-looking design. If you have any catering needs, they are willing to serve you.

Over at 1 Dewey Avenue corner Sta. Rita Road in the freeport, Xtremely Xpresso is a café that offers customers really good coffee plus meals that families and friends can enjoy together. For the coffee lovers, they got the Jump-start Espresso, Vienna Coffee, White Mocha and Vietnamese Coffee plus their very own lineup of frappe’s such as the Shockwave, the Coffee Cradle and Ekimocha to name a few. For those looking for hearty meals, they have Baby Back Ribs, Korean Beef Ribs, Salisbury Steak, the Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich, pasta and their Big Ben pizza!

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited to visit Subic Bay for the May 1 triathlon event and the local places to enjoy good food? When was the last time you visited Subic Bay?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon officially included in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia

April 13, 2022April 12, 2022carlocarrasco

As many millions of sports enthusiasts all over the Southeast Asian region are anticipating the start of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games, Hanoi 2021 and SEA Games 31) in Vietnam (for external references, click here, here and here), the wheels for the 2023 edition of the SEA Games (AKA 32^nd SEA Games) in Cambodia are already moving forward and already close to forty events have been confirmed, according to a news release published through the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

And here are the most notable news for the people who love multisports – triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon are officially part of the 2023 SEA Games events! Very recently, a high-profile meeting about the next SEA Games was held in Cambodia.

*The official logo of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games (also referred to as Cambodia 2023).*

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

Cambodia will be putting on a showcase as a first-time host of the Southeast Asian Games in 2023 with 39 sports already on its competition program.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said Cambodia has shown its readiness to host next year’s Games during a SEA Games Federation meeting held over the weekend in Siem Reap, a resort town that’s the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat.

“Cambodia is ready to host and they promised an excellent edition of the Games,” Tolentino said in a news release on Monday.

Tolentino was joined in the meeting by POC Deputy Secretary General Bones Floro, triathlon head Tom Carrasco, volleyball chief and POC broadcast committee chair Ramon “Tats” Suzara, soft tennis Capt. Bob Moran and bowling legend Bong Coo representing women’s sports.

Cambodia scheduled the 32nd edition of the SEA Games from May 5 to 16—a year after Vietnam hosted this year’s Games—with the capital Phnom Penh as the main hub.

Tolentino said centerpiece athletics and aquatics tops the sports program as Category I sports with the marathon for men and women starting and finishing at Angkor Wat as well as the road and mountain bike (MTB) cycling.

The other sports under Category II are badminton, basketball (5×5 and 3×3), boxing, billiards, cycling (road and MTB), canoeing, rowing, Ok Chaktrong, Asean and Xiangxi), dancesport, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (aerobic and artistic), hockey (including indoor), judo, karate, muay, petanque, sailing, sepaktakraw (including chinlone), soft tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, traditional boat race, triathlon (including duathlon and aquathlon), volleyball, wrestling and weightlifting.

In relation to the above news release, triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon are also listed in a recent article on the official website of the 2023 SEA Games.

Take note that Cambodia will be hosting and organizing the SEA Games for the first time ever. The official website of the 32^nd SEA Games is located at http://cambodia2023.com/ and their focus on preparing for the games is real. Check out the video below from the Cambodia 2023 YouTube channel.

For more about the Cambodia SEA Games on social media, visit their official Facebook page, their official Instagram account and follow them on Twitter.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are an enthusiast of triathlon, duathlon or aquathlon, what is your reaction towards their declared inclusion in the 2023 SEA Games? With regards to Cambodia’s first time hosting the SEA Games, are you excited to see the region’s biggest sports event to be held there?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang of the Philippines are the favorites in the 31st SEA Games multisport events

April 8, 2022April 11, 2022carlocarrasco

While many sports enthusiasts around the Southeast Asian region are eagerly waiting for the delayed 31^st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31^st SEA Games, SEA Games 31 and Hanoi 2021) in Vietnam to finally start, triathlon here in the Philippines is getting more active after being dormant under the COVID-19 crisis. In fact, triathlon interest among Filipinos is only getting stronger and the other day, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published an article highlighting 2019 SEA Games gold medalists John Chicano and Marion Kim Mangrobang as the favorites in two different multisport events in this year’s SEA Games.

To be specific, the Inquirer viewed Chicano (the 2019 SEA Games men’s triathlon gold medalist) as the Philippines’ best bet in the 31^st SEA Games men’s duathlon event while Mangrobang (2019 SEA Games women’s triathlon gold medalist) remains the heavy favorite in the 31^st SEA Games women’s triathlon event. But before going to Vietnam, Chicano and Mangrobang will be participating in the NTT AST Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) 2022 on May 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone!

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Inquirer sports article written by June Navarro. Some parts in boldface…

Kim Mangrobang remains as the heavy favorite in women’s triathlon of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam while John Chicano is the country’s strongest bet in duathlon.

Mangrobang, the back-to-back women’s SEA Games gold medalist, and the 2019 men’s champion Chicano will headline the country’s jaunt in the Subic International Triathlon (SUBIT) on May 1, their last big hurdle before heading to the Vietnam Games to defend their titles.

They will be tested against 30 elite foreign triathletes from Australia, Japan, United States, Poland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, India and Azerbaijan bannered by Ukraine-born Olympian Rostyslav Pevtsov.

Joining Chicano and Mangrobang at Subit, now returning at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after a two-year hiatus, are national team mainstays Raven Faith Alcoseba and 2019 SEAG men’s silver medalist Kim Remolino.

Alcoseba and Remolino belong to the Triathlon Association of the Philippines’ new crop of young triathletes to keep the nation’s gold-medal streak in the SEA Games going since 2015 in Singapore.

On its 29th year, Subit is the country’s longest running triathlon with newly installed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Rolen Paulino serving as assistant race director during its inaugural edition.

“I’m proud to say that Subit has produced our SEA Games champions, Asian duathlon gold medalists and notable performers in both the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Palembang Asian Games,’’ said Trap president Tom Carrasco.

The first international-flavored triathlon event in the country since the onset of the pandemic, Carrasco said the Subit plays a major role for the preparation of Chicano and Mangrobang as well as their teammates to again rule the triathlon races in the SEA Games for the fourth consecutive edition.

If you want to know more about John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang, read my separate feature articles of them on this website. Also check out the videos below.

As the SEA Games hosted by Hanoi, Vietnam slowly approaches, more and new details about the triathlon and duathlon events there should be revealed. Eventually the names of all the SEA Games competitors in the men’s and women’s events in triathlon and duathlon will be announced. Take note that host country Vietnam has almost one thousand athletes joining the SEA Games.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited for the duathlon and triathlon events of this year’s SEA Games? If you are here in the Philippines, would you be interested to visit Subic Bay to watch the Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) in person and watch SEA Games gold medalists John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang race? Do you anticipate that Chicano and Mangrobang will both bring home the gold from Vietnam?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Hanoi’s 31-day countdown to the 31st SEA Games to start soon

April 5, 2022April 1, 2022carlocarrasco

The wait for the opening of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games, Hanoi 2021 and SEA Games 31) in Vietnam is gradually coming to an end and very soon the City of Hanoi will launch its very own countdown of 31 days leading to the 12^th day of May, according to a report by VietnamPlus.VN. Take note that their nation is working hard on finalizing the SEA Games preparations and Hanoi itself is working on ensuring medical services for the said games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the VietnamPlus.VN article. Some parts in boldface…

Hanoi is to launch a 31-day countdown to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), heard a meeting chaired by Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung on March 31.

A ceremony to kick-start the countdown is scheduled to take place on April 11, together with the Olympic Run Day for Public Health and the 47th edition of the Ha Noi Moi Newspaper Run at Hoan Kiem Lake at the heart of the capital city.

Dung, who is head of the SEA Games 31 organising board of Hanoi, underlined that the regional sporting event is an important chance to promote the city’s image as a safe, friendly and attractive destination to domestic and foreign tourists.

He ordered relevant sides to bolster communication activities and finish the decoration on Hanoi streets by April 11 to celebrate the upcoming Games.

Already Vietnam has been welcoming visitors from overseas and so far their national and local authorities have been pretty bullish on boosting their economy through tourism. The high number of COVID-19 cases does not seem to dampen their drive. For a quick look at Vietnam and the SEA Games, watch the videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: How excited are you for the 31^st SEA Games right now? Do you feel like wanting to visit Vietnam to watch the SEA Games live and enjoy the tourist sites? What do you think about the 31-day countdown of Hanoi leading to the opening of the SEA Games?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Vietnam finalizing its preparations for the 31st SEA Games

March 31, 2022March 31, 2022carlocarrasco

As the month of April approaches, it is an instant reminder that time is moving and that means the opening of the delayed 31^st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31^st SEA Games, SEA Games 31 and Hanoi 2021) in Hanoi, Vietnam is gradually approaching. That being said, the authorities and event stakeholders over there are working hard on the preparations not just for the games but for the nation as a whole in relation to their recent reopening of borders to foreigners.

Even though Vietnam currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases as well as the highest daily average of new cases, there is no stopping the SEA Games from formally opening on May 12, 2022. In fact, there are certain sports events of the regional games that will happen even before opening day such as football, chess, handball (beach), kickboxing and rowing.

*From the March 28, 2022 Facebook picture post of The ASEAN Post.*

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from a report published by VietnamPlus.VN. Some parts in boldface…

Only less than 50 days left, the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) will officially take place. At present, Vietnam is urgently making efforts to complete the final preparations for the safe and successful organisation of the region’s biggest sport event.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, SEA Games 31 could not take place as planned in November 2021, and was postponed to May 2022. The organising committee encountered many difficulties in preparations, while athletes did not have opportunities to compete regularly and have training abroad.

The goal of successfully holding the Games is an important task. Thanks to the close direction of the Government, the companionship and coordination between the concerned ministries and sectors, the preparations are on the right track, with the progress ensured. At a recent field trip by Southeast Asian sport delegations, the delegation heads appreciated the host country’s preparations.

“Since Vietnam announced SEA Games 31’s official date in late 2021, the country has exerted tremendous efforts, and preparations are in full swing to meet the deadlines,” said Director (Projects) of the Singapore National Olympic Council Anthony Lee.

He believed that the regional sporting event this year will be smooth-sailing and organised efficiently.

The renovation of My Dinh National Stadium, which is to host football and track and field, has been fundamentally completed while the Water Sports Stadium is also being renovated to meet international standards, ready to host the Games.

For his part, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia Paduka Nur Azmi Ahmad spoke highly of progress made in the preparations at the My Dinh Stadium and the National Sports Training Centre, despite various challenges facing Vietnam, especially the COVID-19 pandemic.

Underlining the significance of the facilities serving the Games, he added that Vietnamese agencies need to speed up the remaining tasks and make sure that deadlines will be met.

Deputy Secretary General for Administration of the Philippine Olympic Committee Carl Sambrano highly valued Quang Ninh province’s preparations, particularly at the 5,000-seat gymnasium which will host indoor volleyball matches.

He added that the expressway linking Hanoi and Quang Ninh facilitates the travel of participating teams between the two localities.

Chong Fui Kim from the Singapore National Olympic Council said although the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a heavy blow to Vietnam’s preparations for SEA Games 31, most of the competition venues in Quang Ninh stand ready to host the regional event.

He spoke highly of efforts and determination of the organising committee and Vietnamese people in preparing for the Games despite the complex developments of COVID-19, believing that the event will be successful.

With regards to the SEA Games preparations in the city of Hanoi, watch the video below…

Meanwhile, here in the Philippines, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) assured that the SEA Games are on track to finally taking place this May. This assurance was given following the Philippines’ participation in a recent big meeting in Hanoi that also drew the presence of the representatives of the many competing countries. The entire Philippine delegation to the SEA Games will receive funding from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Knowing the latest about Vietnam’s preparations for the SEA Games, how excited are you about the region’s biggest sports event right now? Do you think that the daily number of new COVID-19 cases in Vietnam will fall down significantly by the start of May?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

31st SEA Games official slogan is “For a stronger Southeast Asia”

March 28, 2022March 28, 2022carlocarrasco

The highly anticipated 31^st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31^st SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) is about 45 days away from formally opening in the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. Originally scheduled for 2021, the SEA Games this May will be significant not only because it will be the first time the regional sports gathering will be held during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it will test the resolve of the Southeast Asian members with regards to sports events organizing, location control and, of course, handling the participation of the many athletes from the member nations who will take part in a wide variety of sports competitions. The determination and focus on proceeding with the biggest sports event of the region (scheduled for May 12 to 23, 2022 although there will be some events taking place before the opening ceremony happens) is already being reflected with the newly unveiled official 31^st SEA Games slogan called “For a stronger Southeast Asia”, as well with the official event song titled ‘Hay toa sang’ (Let’s shine), as reported by VietnamPlus.vn.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of VietnamPlus.VN. Some parts in boldface…

Communications for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) have been bolstered as the region’s biggest sports event is approaching.

The official song for the Games ‘Hay toa sang’ (Let’s shine), composed by renown composer Huy Tuan, has been unveiled, showing the pride on the culture and people of Vietnam, and highlighting sportsmanship as well as efforts to achieve the best results, with lyrics in Vietnamese language and chorus in English.

The song also sends a message of development, solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and international friends.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Le Thi Hoang Yen said the song’s lyric is simple and easy to learn. It is hoped to encourage athletes and be favoured by sports fans at home and abroad.

The event’s slogan “For a stronger Southeast Asia” is to convey a message of solidarity to build a thriving ASEAN Community and further promote its role in the international arena.

Earlier, the regional sport events’ official logo and mascot have been introduced, with the logo symbolising a flying bird and a V-shaped hand and the mascot based on the saola – a rare animal listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of Endangered Species.

The saola, scientifically known as Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, is dubbed the Asian Unicorn because it is so rarely seen, looks like an antelope in appearance, and is recognised by its two parallel horns with sharp ends which can reach up to 50 cm in length.

The species was first discovered in May 1992 by a joint team from the MARD and the World Wide Fund for Nature during a trip surveying Vu Quang National Park in the central province of Ha Tinh, near Vietnam’s border with Laos.

For the newcomers reading this, the delayed 31^st SEA Games is indeed pushing through as planned with the opening set for May 12 and closing on May 23. While the daily reports about Vietnam having over 100,000 new COVID-19 cases recorded looks intimidating, the SEA Games organizers are still laser-focused on proceeding with the competitions and Vietnam itself reopened its borders to foreign visitors and dropped COVID-19 restrictions on the said visitors. Already COVID-19 prevention and control measures specific to the SEA Games have been implemented.

The 31st SEA Games will be huge as it will take place in Hanoi and in the eleven neighboring localities. There will be forty specific sports and more than five hundred events. About 10,000 participants are expected to join in. A lot of preparations are being done by both Vietnam and the SEA Games members (and their respective athletes who qualified). The 31^st SEA Games is something that should not be missed.

For additional insight about the 31st SEA Games and Vietnam, watch the videos below…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the official slogan of the 31^st SEA Games? Do you believe that even as Vietnam is struggling with very high COVID-19 cases, the SEA Games will be done orderly and successfully this May? Would you happen to know if someone in your local community qualified to represent your country in the SEA Games in Vietnam?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

COVID-19 prevention and control measures for 31st SEA Games in Vietnam set

March 22, 2022March 21, 2022carlocarrasco

With less than two months left before the 31^st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31^st SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) officially opens on May 12, 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam, the national authorities established COVID-19 prevention and control measures in connection to the said games, according to the report published by VietnamPlus.vn. Indeed, the SEA Games of 2021 are pushing through as planned even though the number of new COVID-19 cases in Vietnam are very high.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of VietnamPlus.VN. Some parts in boldface…

The host Vietnam has built COVID-19 prevention and control measures, part of the preparations for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), as regional sports delegations show a concern about the work.

At the recent second Chefs de Mission Meeting of the Games, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan told delegates that in the face of complex developments of COVID-19, Vietnam has devised three options of allowing full capacity, restricting or barring spectators.

In case no fans are allowed in competition venues over COVID-19 concerns, all individuals are required to wear face masks, except for competing athletes. If capacity restrictions are observed, seats will be arranged to maintain distance among spectators. As for the no-restriction plan, spectators must still observe the 5K message on the prevention of the spread of the virus.

The commute of sports delegations and athletes must be held in a closed routine. Arrivals will take COVID-19 rapid antigen test within 24 hours.

Any found contracting the virus may stay in quarantine at hotels if they develop no or mild symptoms. Those with severe symptoms will be transferred to assigned medical facilities.

Athletes having contact with COVID-19 positives are eligible to compete and not be quarantined.

The organising board will cover COVID-19 testing and treatment costs for medical incidents handled at competition venues and accommodation facilities. Sports delegations are to bear hospital bills, insurance and other costs.

For additional insight about the SEA Games and the reopening of the nation to foreign visitors, watch the videos below…

Vietnam recently reopened its borders for foreign tourists (for references, click here and here). The COVID-19 crisis negatively impacted Vietnam’s tourism industry and like any other nation, there is a drive to achieve economic recovery which means creating jobs for the unemployed, generating additional economic activities for the surviving businesses, and more . On face value, the delayed SEA Games is key in helping Vietnam achieve recovery. Local tourism insiders state that the recovery of the tourism industry will take a long time. At this point, it remains to be seen how much of an impact the SEA Games in Hanoi will have on the nation’s ability to attract visitors from overseas.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you looking forward to the 31^st SEA Games? Does the current high number of new COVID-19 cases in Vietnam concern you? Do you think that the announced COVID-19 prevention and control measures are sufficient? Among the many sports events of the 31^st SEA Games, which one interests you the most?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Muntinlupa City’s Aquatic Center inaugurated

March 3, 2022March 2, 2022carlocarrasco

During the celebration of the 27^th cityhood anniversary of Muntinlupa that took place this past Tuesday, the brand new Muntinlupa Aquatic Center was formally inaugurated, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. The inauguration was attended by Muntinlupa City Government officials led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi as well as several special guests.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government inaugurated on Tuesday, March 1, its world-class Muntinlupa Aquatic Center which has an Olympic-size swimming pool that can host competitions.

Muntinlupa celebrates its 27th cityhood anniversary on March 1 and the inauguration of the Aquatic Center was one of the highlights.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led the opening of the Muntinlupa Aquatic Center together with Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Vice Mayor Artemio Simundac, city councilors, and officials.

The Muntinlupa Aquatic Center is the first indoor Olympic-size swimming pool in the Philippines that can cater to swimming, water polo and artistic swimming, and programs like water safety training and competition, scuba diving pool session, swim and survive programs, and physical education programs.

“When we love a person or thing, we take care of it. We give the best. This is how I love our residents, our youth. That is why we inaugurated a world-class Aquatic Center for our Muntinlupeños on the 27th anniversary of the establishment of our city,” said Fresnedi.

The Aquatic Center is located at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Barangay Tunasan and has a seating capacity of up to 1,200.

“Like all parents, I also want a bright future for our children. Besides the benefits in sports, it will be a big help to the health of our residents. You do not need to go to Marikina or Biñan [Laguna] to avail of a facility like our Aquatic Center,” said Fresnedi.

The above report ended stating that the funding of the construction of the Muntinlupa Aquatic Center was not sourced from loans but rather funds allotted by the City Government.

The Muntinlupa Aquatic Center itself looks great and it should help diversify the kind of water-related special events that the city can host. Imagine someday that the brand-new facility will be used to host swimming competitions that involve schools. If the roads outside the Muntinlupa Aquatic Center are of good quality, a triathlon event can be held using the pool for swimming and roads for cycling and running. Imagine, for example, the Philippines gets to host the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) many years from now – Muntinlupa’s facility could be used for swimming events. There is no doubt that the new aquatic center is a landmark of the city.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what do you think about the newly inaugurated Muntinlupa Aquatic Center?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Over 650 Philippine athletes counted so far for the 31st SEA Games

March 2, 2022March 1, 2022carlocarrasco

If you are rooting for the Philippines to become successful in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (AKA 31st SEA Games, the Vietnam SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) in Vietnam this coming May, be aware that more than six hundred fifty national athletes have been listed to represent the country, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) article published recently. To make things clear, these athletes were collectively submitted by the varied national sports agencies (NSAs) to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). The current number of athletes is tentative at best as there are NSAs still finalizing their respective athletes for the SEA Games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has so far summed 656 athletes who will do battle in the 31st Southeast Asian Games that are due in under two and a half months in Hanoi, Vietnam.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said majority of the 39 national sports associations which are fielding athletes to Vietnam have submitted tentative rosters for the May 12 to 25 Games.

The Philippines is competing in 39 of the 40 sports programmed by Vietnam for its only second hosting of the Games since 2003. In these 39 sports, the country is participating in 44 disciplines, according to Tolentino.

“Comparing the numbers when we hosted the Games in 2019, we’ll have a delegation that’s slashed almost in half from three years ago,” Tolentino said in a news release on Monday. “And a quick look at the numbers show we’ll be hard-pressed to repeat as overall champions.”

There were 1,115 Filipino athletes in 2019—an automatic privilege that host countries have—and they won 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals for a guaranteed overall title.

“But we’ll have a fighting team in Vietnam, setting aside the difficulties of training and competing or training overseas because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Tolentino said.

Of the 44 disciplines, the POC has yet to receive a tentative list for athletics, men’s 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, weightlifting and jiujitsu.

The deadline for the submission of entries by names is on March 12 and Tolentino said the POC is hopeful to complete the list—including expected revisions from NSAs which already complied with the body’s February 24 internal deadline—by then.

“Several NSAs were allowed to submit tentative lists because they’re still completing their final qualifications or trials,” he said.

The estimated size of the delegation is pegged at 874. Also on the tentative list are 177 team officials (coaches, team managers and/or NSA heads or representatives) and 20 members of the medical (doctors, nurses, and masseurs/therapists) and administrative staff.

Competition venues for Filipino athletes are spread out in four clusters although majority will be in the main hub of Hanoi, Tolentino said. The POC based the clusters on their proximity to Hanoi.

Filipino athletes will be competing in diving, swimming, finswimming, archery, athletics, badminton, 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, billiards and snooker, bodybuilding, bowling, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, dancesports, esports, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (artistic, aerobic and rhythmic), beach handball, judo, jiujitsu, karate, kickboxing, kurash, muaythai, pencak silat, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon/duathlon, volleyball, beach volleyball, vovinam, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Considering the difficulty everyone had to endure with the COVID-19 pandemic, do you think that the current athletes the Philippines has right now are competitive enough to bring home SEA Games gold medals? Among the all of the above listed SEA Games sports the Philippines will compete in, what are the five sports that interest you the most right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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