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Gold rush set to begin in Manila
Musthofid The Jakarta Post/Manila
Amid a final push to complete competition venues and heightened security, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is set to open the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Sunday.
The ceremony for the 10-day Games is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. local time at Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park. The 11 participating teams from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Timor Leste will march in alphabetical order, with Indonesia following Brunei Darussalam and Cambodia.
Kusnan Ismukanto, Indonesia's sporting chief designated to supervise the athletes competing in Metro Manila, said that about 100 athletes from the 779-strong contingent would participate.
"We invited all the athletes to come along but it shouldn't be allowed to interfere with their training," Djoko said.
Hendrawan, coach of the women's badminton team and a former world men's singles champion, will be the flag bearer. He was a last-minute replacement for Olympic and World champion shuttler Taufik Hidayat, who declined the honor.
"Badminton manager Jacob Rusdianto refused to allow Taufik to join because he will have to train," chef de mission Djoko Pramono said.
Members of the region's royal houses and leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are expected to attend the opening ceremony, Agence France-Presse reported. Among the royals are Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia; Brunei Prince Sufri Bolkiah, and Thai Princess Sievannarvari Nariratana as well as Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Manila's already chaotic traffic was made worse on Saturday when police closed roads around the grandstand to secure the area. More than 17,000 police and security forces went on alert in Manila last week, with officials concerned over recent deadly attacks by the communist New People's Army rebels in central and northern Philippines.
Although water polo and soccer have been in competition since last week, with Singapore retaining its gold in the pool on Friday, Sunday's opening day will offer 15 golds.
Track and field events held at Rizal Memorial Stadium will have three golds up for grabs, but no Indonesian athletes are competing in the long jump, high jump and pole vault.
Muhammad Juniarto and Muhamad Zulkifli are the Indonesian hopefuls in the 15-ball doubles, although they concede it will be a struggle to take the top honor.
"Well, their chance is 50-50. We'll have to compete against Singapore and Malaysia in the group matches. And then either Thailand or the Philippines would be the next ones to beat," team manager Ariebinuko Tjiptoadjodjojo told The Jakarta Post.
Other golds are being offered in dancesport (2), chess (2) diving (3) and karate (4).
Indonesia has not won the overall medal title at the Games since 1997, finishing third at the 2003 Games in Vietnam behind the host and Thailand, which is heavily favored this time around.
Djoko said on Saturday all the athletes were expected to do their utmost to help the country's medal haul.
"We have instructed managers and athletes to give their best effort for the sake of the country," Djoko said during his tour of the Rizal Memorial Complex, where he watched the Indonesian women's tennis team reach the final.