POC names Eala, Bagunas as flag bearers in SEAG

1 of 2

BRYAN BAGUNAS — PNVF

ALEX EALA — JIMMIE48/WTA

TENNIS supernova Alexandra “Alex” Eala and volleyball star Bryan Bagunas will be the Philippines’ flag bearers when it wades into battle in the 33^rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) set Dec. 9 to 20 in Thailand.

“Popularity aside, Alex and Bryan have made impacts in the global sports community and that makes them the best choice to carry the flag in the SEA Games,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham Tolentino in a statement on Tuesday.

“It’s about the inspirational appeal, the motivation and hard work that reaps accomplishment that make an athlete or athletes the best choice for the chore,” he added.

Ms. Eala, of course, was an easy choice after her meteoric rise to prominence as she is now ranked 50^th in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings — the highest place reached by a Filipina.

For Mr. Bagunas, he was the face of the Alas Pilipinas team that finished a historic 19^th in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship the country hosted a few months ago.

The pair’s presence in the biennial meet should add to an already star-studded, 1,168-strong Philippine team eyeing to eclipse its 58-gold, fifth-place finish in Phnom Penh, Cambodia two years ago.

It included Tokyo Games weightlifting gold winner Hidilyn Diaz, Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas and Eumir Felix Marcial of boxing and Kayla Sanchez of swimming, and Olympians EJ Obiena (pole vault), Hergie Bacyadan (boxing), Aleah Finnegan (artistic gymnastics), Joanie Delgaco (rowing), Eric Cray (athletics) and Elreen Ando (weightlifting).

Other stars in the fold are Gilas Pilipinas, Alas Pilipinas, and World Cup veterans from the national women’s football team.

Mr. Tolentino, meanwhile, said the country’s initial 300 slots in the opening parade at the Rajamangala National Stadium could possibly be trimmed to 200 due to the host Thais’ year-long mourning for their Queen Sirikit and the Songkhla flood disaster. — Joey Villar