5 yKalinga athletes join Philippine Team for SEA Games 2023

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Five athletes hailing from the province of Kalinga are among those who will represent the Philippines in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) to be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia next month.

The SEA Games was postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year’s edition of the SEA Games is finally happening from May 5 to 17, 2023. The event is participated in by members of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF): Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The Philippines will be sending its strongest 905 athletes to compete in various Sporting Programmes - among them are Kalinga’s very own, Jean Claude Saclag from the municipality of Lubuagan, Troy Bantiag from the municipality of Tinglayan, Jomar Balangui from Balbalan, Kurt Lubrica and Hergie Bacyadan both from Tanudan.

Saclag who is a two-time SEA Game gold medalist will be competing in the kickboxing event together with Balangui and Lubrica who were with him during the last SEA Games regional meet.

First timers in the SEA Games, Bantiag will compete in the Kun Khmer event, while Bacyadan in the Vovinam event. In an interview earlier with Station 1 Radio, Saclag conveyed gratitude to people who are following his sports journey and supporting him and his entire team.

He shared that reading people’s comments alone on social media expressing their wishes for them to succeed is enough to strengthen their confidence.

“Ag-thank you kami kanyada iti kanayun nga pagsuporta da kanyami… Ikar-kararag yu met lang dakami ta aramiden mi met ti kabaelan mi para iti Kalinga ken Pilipinas,” he said.

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