Tracksters who won medals in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games are set to get more incentives from other sources.
Philippine Athletics Track and Field Chairman Rufus Rodriguez said this following Thursday’s victory celebration at the Sheraton Hotel inside the Resorts World Manila Complex in Pasay City.
“Members of the House of Representatives are making contributions to the athletes. They are passing the hat,” said Rodriguez, a congressman from the second district of Cagayan de Oro.
The Philippines raked in 11 gold medals, eight silvers and eight bronzes and placed third behind Vietnam and Thailand.
Athletics officials were right on track in their projection that the Philippines will have a low of six and a high of 12 gold medals in games.
The “unexpected” gold medals came from javelin thrower Melvin Calano and heptathlete Aries Toledo.
The 110-meter hurdles’ feat of Clinton Kingsley Bautista was also one of the surprises.
On the final day of athletics, Toledo earned the region’s “strongest man” tag in retaining the men’s decathlon crown, when he accumulated 7033 points for his second gold since 2017.
Eric Cray kept the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles while also striking gold in the 4×100 mixed relay with Eloiza Luzon, Anfernee Lopena and double-gold medalist Kristina Knott, the 200-m winner.
Other gold medalists were EJ Obiena in the Men’s Pole Vault, William Morrison in the Men’s Shot Put, Sarah Dequinan in the Women’s heptathlon and Christine Hallasgo in the Women’s Marathon.
Team Philippines could get an estimated total of as much as P126.5 million in incentives for their achievements in the biennial meet.
The cash bonanza will be given to athletes on Dec. 18 when they meet President Rodrigo Duterte during the awarding of incentives to all the winners in Malacañang.
A total of 149 gold medals, 118 silvers and 120 bronzes were collected during the 12-day meet.
For now, gold medallists could get as much as P81.950-million in bonuses.
