The 48-member delegation from Timor-Leste is arriving in the country very early for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The delegates will be in the country some two weeks before the start of the Games, according to Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee executive director Tom Carrasco.
Following talks with Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez, the government sports agency has agreed to provide assistance to Timor-Leste’s needs for accommodation and use training facilities that are available.
“We are happy to support our brothers from Timor-Leste to enhance their chance of winning medals in the SEA Games,” said Carrasco following a meeting with Ramirez.
Timor-Leste athletes are entered in 10 events.
And they are joining in taekwondo, shooting, karatedo, pencak silat, boxing, weightlifting, cycling, swimming and beach volleyball.
In the 2017 SEA Games, Timor-Leste finished 11th with three bronze medals.
And they excelled through podium finishes their accomplished in women’s taekwondo.
The 30th Southeast Asian Games will be held in the Philippines from November 30 until December 11, 2019.
This edition will be marked by the first major decentralization in the history of the Games, with competition venues spread in 23 cities across the country, divided into four clusters, all located on the island of Luzon.
The clusters include Metro Manila, Clark, Subic/Olongapo, and a fourth cluster consisting of stand alone venues. This will be the fourth time that the Philippines will host the games and its first time since 2005. The country was also host in the 1981 and 1991 editions of the games.
This edition is most notable for being the first edition to include e-sports and obstacle course as well as having the highest number of sports in the history of the games, at a total of 56.