Villanueva lauds PH contingent's sterling performance in 29th SEA Games

Senator Joel Villanueva, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, has lauded on Wednesday the outstanding performance of the Philippine contingent in the 29th Southeast Asian Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

From August 19 to 30, 2017, a total of 497 Filipino athletes competed in all of the events in the said international sports competition except for cricket.

Under Resolution No. 477 filed by Villanueva, the Senate expresses its recognition on the victory of the entire Philippine contingent.

As of 11p.m., August 29, 2017, the Philippines has already bagged 121 medals with 64 Bronze, 33 Silver and 24 Gold Medals.

The Philippines won its first two gold medals for the 2017 SEA Games when Mary Joy Tabal won in the women's marathon and Nikko Huelgas won in the men's individual triathlon game last August 19.

Just like in the 2017 Southeast Asia Basketball Association Championships last May, Gilas Pilipinas remains as the undisputed king of ASEAN Basketball since the Philippines defeated Indonesia last August 26 at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur with a score of 94-55 to win the gold medal in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.

The gold medal of the Gilas Pilipinas is the country's 12th straight SEA Games gold medal in Men's Basketball and the 18th Gold Medal in the 29thSEA Games.

"The victory and the sterling performance of the entire Philippine contingent in the 29th Southeast Asian Games is a good prelude to the Asian Games that will be held in Indonesia next year and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which will be hosted by the Philippines," Villanueva said.