MANILA, Philippines – With 8 months to go before the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, national athletes are raring to make a mark and be part of Philippine sports history. 

Filipino athletes like jiu-jitsu world champion Meggie Ochoa, 2018 Asian Games boxing silver medalist Rogen Ladon, Perlas Pilipinas’ Jack Animam and para swimming star Ernie Gawilan all have their own stories on why they’re targetting a golden finish. 

With jiu-jitsu making its debut in the SEA Games this year, Ochoa is more than excited to participate in the regional biennial meet as she looks to ride on her historic golden finish in the 2018 jiu-jitsu world championships. 

Boxing’s lone silver medalist in the 2018 Asian Games Ladon is aiming to make a return to the SEA Games after skipping the Kuala Lumpur games for the world championships. 

Ladon just wants to showcase his skills to the boxing-crazed Filipino fans in his very first major competition in the Philippines. 

Animam, one of the country’s top women’s basketball players, looks to bounce back from a heartbreaking 2017 SEA Games run as Perlas Pilipinas fights for a podium finish this time. 

The Asian Para Games’ most bemedalled athlete Ernie Gawilan also vies to attain greater heights by sweeping the swimming competition. (ATHLETE’S CORNER: No more rough waters for Ernie Gawilan) – Rappler.com