OLYMPIC silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz is expected to be a shoo-in for the national team which will be sent to the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur this August.
Diaz, who will seriously begin her preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this year, fits the criteria which the task force composed of top Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission listed.
The task force listed down three sets of criteria in their effort to select the right number of athletes who can go to the Games.
“We are coordinating with the PSC on the government side on the criteria to send athletes to the Games,” said karatedo secretary-general Raymund Lee-Reyes, who co-leads the task force on the POC side.
Last week, an initial list of 535 athletes from 31 sports were submitted to the SEA Games organizing committee on Friday, which was the deadline for submission by numbers.
PSC chairman Butch Ramirez made it clear that only athletes capable of winning medals would join the delegation in the 11-nation biennial meet set Aug. 19 to 31.
Ramirez leads the PSC selection group along with PSC commissioners Mon Fernandez, Charles Maxey, Arnold Agustin, Celia Kiram, executive director Carlo Abarquez and national training director Mark Velasco.
On the POC’s end, joining Carrasco are POC auditor Jonne Go, POC board member Robert Mananquil and Dave Carter of judo.
Athletes who had previous experience in the SEA Games tops the priority list for the selection group.
Second are those who made achievements in other international meets.
Third on the list are development athletes, those who young potentials with high performances, and have measureable achievements, and have excelled in team events.