THE country will likely have six flag-bearers, led by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, for the opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Nov. 30 at the 50,000-seat Philippine Sports Arena, according to Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez.
“Mukhang positive ang feedback,” Ramirez said yesterday, referring to the plan of having several standard bearers during the inaugural rites of the 11-nation games.
Aside from Pacquiao, who carried the flag during the march past of the national delegation in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the other athletes tipped to carry the flag are gymnast Caloy Edriel Yulo, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, weightlifter Hidylin Diaz and boxers Nesty Petecio and Felix Eumir Marcial.
Yulo, who won the men’s floor exercise gold in the 41st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany early this month, and Obiena are the country’s first qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games.