The Southeast Asian Games Torch Relay brought a spirit of festivity and excitement to Tagaytay City on a cool and breezy Monday morning. The relay celebrated Cambodia’s hosting of the 32nd edition of the Games, which is set to take place in May. The event saw athletes, sports personalities, and foreign dignitaries take turns carrying the torch through the city’s streets.
The Torch Relay kicked off at De los Reyes Avenue in front of the Tagaytay City BMX and Skate Park, and athletes from cycling, taekwondo, football, kickboxing, and boxing carried the torch, along with Philippine Paralympic Committee head Mike Barredo and Commissioner Walter Torres of the Philippine Sports Commission.
The event was marked by festive music provided by the Tagaytay City drum and bugle band.
The torch was passed on to Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is also the mayor of Tagaytay City. Tolentino welcomed the torch and expressed his appreciation for the event’s celebration of peace and camaraderie in the region.
“We warmly welcome the SEA Games Torch which is now celebrating Cambodia’s first-time hosting of the games,” Tolentino said.
“Just like in our SEA Games hosting in 2019, we value this celebration not only for sports but for peace and camaraderie in the region.”
The Cambodia SEA Games are set to take place from May 5 to 17, with the country fielding a slightly reduced delegation composed of 840 athletes competing in 608 events in 38 sports. The Games’ motto, “Live in Peace,” aligns with Tolentino’s outlook on the event.
The Torch Relay started in Cambodia at the World Heritage Site Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and passed on the flame to last year’s host Vietnam before reaching the Philippines. After the Philippines, the torch will travel to Brunei, Timor Leste, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos before returning to Cambodia on April 27.
The torch, which is 75 cms tall and weighs slightly over one kilo, was designed to reflect the symbol of Romdoul, the Kingdom of Cambodia national flower. It is plated with gold color to show that the Kingdom of Cambodia and its people have risen to the top.
