Manila, Philippines, October 21, 2019: Excitement is growing in the Philippines as the organisers and athletes build up to the 30th South East Asian Games which they will host at the end of November.
Some world-class performances in recent weeks have not only put the sports community in good heart ahead of the November 30-December 11 SEA Games at New Clark City in Pampanga, 100km north of Manila, but also ignited hopes for medals at Tokyo 2020.
To show his support for the athletes, President Rodrigo Duterte invited five elite performers for a courtesy call at the Presidential Palace in Manila known as Malacanang on October 16.
They were: (from left): 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Champion Nesthy Petecio; three-time Olympian, Rio 2016 silver medallist and 2019 IWF World Weightlifting Championships bronze medalist Hidilyn Diaz; the first Filipino qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Ernest John Obiena; 2019 FIG World Artistic Gymnastics floor exercise champion and the second Filipino qualifier for Tokyo 2020, Carlos Edriel Yulo; and 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medalist Eumir Felix Marcial.
Source: Philippine Sports Commission