HOPING to adjust to the stifling summer heat in Cambodia, the 12-man national obstacle sports team left last night for Phnom Penh, barely a week before the start of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games obstacle sports action on May 3 at the Chroy Changvar Car Park.
“The heat in Phnom Penh is worse than Manila so we thought it best for the team to go early and adjust to the conditions there,” said national head coach Thumbie Remigio the other day during the Hanowa Bridgestone Team Challenge at the Bridgestone estate in Quezon City.
As the tournament director of the event in Cambodia, Remigio said he was in Phnom Penh last February to set up the 100-meter obstacle course that will be used for the four-day meet that will have a one-day break for the May 5 formal opening before resuming on May 6 and 7.
“It is hotter and more humid there in Phnom Penh so we hope that our athletes will be able adjust,” Remigio said, adding they had scheduled each competition day from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
“Our team also would like to make certain about the food available in Cambodia so we decided to go there early as well,” he added.
Unlike in the 2019 Philippine SEA Games when six golds were stake as the sport made its debut in the regional meet, only four events will be held in Cambodia — the men’s and women’s individual and men’s and women’s team relays.
Remigio said Pinoy bets are going for a sweep, similar to what they did in the Philippine Games four years ago at the Filinvest City course in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
“Going for a sweep of all four golds is still our aim, although the opposition has also improved since the last time,” he noted.
He revealed that Malaysian and Indonesian entries had trained extensively on separate occasions at the Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation’s obstacle course at the Arcovia City in Pasig, which has the same specifications as the course in Cambodia.
