FIVE outstanding athletes are being eyed for the prestigious role of being the country’s flag-bearer during the opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the 50,000-capacity Philippine Sports Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez, the chief of mission of the national team, identified the five as are pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo, skateboarder Margielyn Arda Didal, weightlifter Hidylin Diaz and boxer Eumir Felix Marcial.
Obiena emerged as the first Pinoy athlete to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, clearing 5.81 meters to surpass the qualifying standard of 5.80 meters at the Salto Con L’Asta competitions in Piazza, Italy last Sept. 4.
Yulo will bid to become the country’s second Olympic qualifier when he see action in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships opening on Sunday in Stuttgart, Germany.
Didal bagged the country’s first gold medal in skateboarding, ruling the women’s streetpark event in her debut in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia last year while Rio Olympics silver medalist Diaz copped two bronze medals in the world weightlifting championships recently in Bangkok, Thailand.
