William Morrison III did not hold back in voicing his frustration over the athletics competitions at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at Suphachalasai National Stadium, calling it the “worst SEA Games he’s ever been to.”
The Filipino shot putter expressed deep disappointment over what he described as inconsistent and questionable officiating that disrupted the fairness and rhythm of the events.
“Man, lots of issues, man,” rued Morrison. “They’re saying that my shot put didn’t weigh in. This is the only place my shot put hasn’t weighed in.
“I’ve used it at the Asian Games, Asian Championships, in the States, in Canada, Japan — everywhere. It’s never been lightweight. And all of a sudden here, it’s lightweight.”
(C) POC Media
He also highlighted delays that interfered with his performance, questioning the logic behind stopping athletes mid-competition.
“And then I’m throwing, and they stop me in the middle of my throw? Why would you do that? Just to fix my bib? That’s not important. Would you stop a sprinter from running when they’re about to get in their blocks?” Morrison added.
Morrison also criticized the shot puts provided, calling them unbalanced and unsuitable for competition.
“If you spin it on the ground, you can see there’s no balance. It won’t even stay still when you try to balance it. And they’re brand new! Who’s going to throw with a brand new shot put?” he added.
“Just the fact that they talk to me between every single throw and stop me mid-throw… this is dog sh*t. Worst SEA Games I’ve ever been to.”
Despite the challenges, Morrison managed to secure the bronze medal with a throw of 16.66 meters.
His SEA Games record of 18.14 meters, set during the 2021 edition in Vietnam, was surpassed by Malaysia’s Jonah Chang Rigan, who threw 18.78 meters to claim gold.
