ALTHOUGH the 32nd Southeast Asian Games is less than a month away, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Dickie Bachmann said yesterday he would like national athletes to look beyond the regional sportsfest and aspire to excel in tougher international meets such as the Asian Games and Olympics.
“We can win in the Southeast Asian Games, given na ‘yan. But our athletes should have a different mindset and focus on excelling in the Asian Games and Olympics,” Bachmann stressed during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at the PSC conference of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“We really have to aim higher and not be content of winning in the SEA Games,” added Bachmann.
He said the government sports agency is set to renovate the lobby of its four-story building within the RMSC to feature a video wall featuring the country’s Olympic and Asian Games achievers.
“We hope this video wall will inspire the coaches and athletes to set their sights at competing and performing in the Asian Games and Olympic Games, instead of just the SEA Games,” he said.
Bachmann said he is hoping the country’s standard-bearers would do better than the 31st Vietnam SEA Games last year where they finished fourth overall in the 11-nation sportsfest with a tally of 52 gold, 70 silver and 105 bronze medals.
“All of the athletes and coaches we have seen have been working very hard. Some athletes are even training abroad as we speak, like the national women’s volleyball team. Others have also won in international competition, so we hope that this will build their confidence and will carry over into the SEA Games,” Bachmann said.
