TEAM Sibol, comprising 55 of the country's best esports players, is looking forward to a successful campaign in the Vietnam Southeast Asian (SEA) Games scheduled on May 12 to 23 in Hanoi.
Playing in the mobile category are Mark Angelo Bautista, Ivan Symon Viagedor, Asrap Abolais, Christian Denmark Rabi, Joshua Bertis, Adzmal Malli, Ian Paul Villanueva and Bryan Co for Free Fire; John Fernand Mariño, Michael Carlo Gonzaga, Jeffrey Sioson, Eric Gambuta and Harold Cabaguing for Arena of Valor; Danerie James del Rosario, Russel Aron Usi, Dexter Louise Alaba, Kyle Dominic Soto, Jonmar Villaluna, Lee Howard Gonzales and Salic Imam for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang; Julius Jerome Pelayo, Mark Clinton Pelayo, Golden Hart Dajao, Dragon Hart Dajao, Rency Barcos and Renzel Ayuban for League of Legends: Wild Rift Men; and Charize Joyed Doble, Rose Ann Marie Robles, Christine Ray Natividad, April Mae Valiente, Giana Joanne Llanes and Angel Danica Lozada for League of Legends: Wild Rift Women.
Abdul Barode, John Raymart Rocello, Raymund Arbie Basilio, Kharl Andrei de Guzman, Ronald Aljheron Ginez, John Michael Anteza, Reyniel Eustaquio, Ans Clarth Rago, Reimon Allen Casido and Francis Carl Fusingan will see action in the Player Unknown's BattleGround, which is also a mobile event.
In the PC category, the participants are Daryl Amos Novales, Aljohn Cañas and Jorrel Aristorenas for FIFA Online 4; Andre Dominique Soriano, David Emmanuel Tapang, Jan Edward Hortizuela, Hezro Elijah Canlas and Jan Raphael Retance for League of Legends; and Matthew Arnaez, Dennis Ramos Jr., John Kenneth Alde, Christian Amores and Aldrin Paul Borabon for Cross Fire.
Ten gold medals are at stake in the esports competition which will be held at the National Convention Center from May 13 to 22.
Out of the 10 events to be contested, only the Arena of Valor and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang were featured when the Philippines hosted the SEA Games in 2019.
Philippine Electronic Sports Organization secretary general Joebert Yu said the players, who were selected during the national team qualifying tournament last January, are ready to face their opponents.
«We expect to compete and hopefully, we could duplicate (or perform better) the success we had from the previous SEAG where the Philippines won the overall title in esports,» Yu said.
The Philippines won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze in 2019 while Thailand was second with two golds and two silvers. Malaysia finished third with one gold and one bronze followed by Indonesia (0-2-0), Singapore (0-1-1) and Vietnam (0-0-3).
The three gold medals came from Dota 2, StarCraft 2 and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang events, while the silver and bronze were from the Tekken 7 event.
All 55 players are first-timers in the SEA Games, but Yu believes they are capable of pulling off surprises.
«We're expecting to get at least five medals or better. We're hoping for the best,» Yu said.
