2005 Southeast Asian Games

23rd Southeast Asian Games

Motto: "One Heritage, One Southeast Asia"
Nations participating 11
Athletes participating 5336
Events 393
Opening ceremony 27 November 2005
Closing ceremony 5 December 2005
Officially opened by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Philippines
Athlete's Oath Mikaela "Mikee" Cojuangco-Jaworski
Ceremony venue Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park

The 23rd Southeast Asian Games (also known as the 2005 SEA Games) were held in the Philippines from 27 November to 5 December 2005. The games were participated by the eleven (11) member-countries of the Southeast Asian Games Federation. This was the first time that the opening and closing ceremonies were held in an open field instead of a stadium, setting the record for the world's largest live audience in an opening ceremony with 200,000 people at the Quirino Grandstand. These games were also noted for having the most number of delegates in the history of the SEA Games.

Events in men's football commenced on 20, 7 November days before the opening ceremony. Water polo events began on 21 November, women's football on 23 November, and sailing and tennis on 26 November.

The first gold medal of the games was awarded to Singapore when it won its 21st consecutive SEA Games gold in water polo. East Timor made their first medals as a SEA Games Federation member with 3 bronzes. In the end, the Philippines grabbed its first overall championship in the SEA Games with 113 golds, 84 silvers and 94 bronzes.

This was the third SEA Games hosted by the Philippines, previously staging the games in 1981 and 1991. Although many of the events took place around Metro Manila, other events notably aquatics, football and volleyball were held in Cebu City, Bacolod, Angeles, Subic Bay, and Los Baños.

Medal table

      Host nation

 Rank  Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Philippines1138494291
2 Thailand8778118283
3 Vietnam716889228
4 Malaysia614965175
5 Indonesia507989218
6 Singapore423255129
7 Myanmar17344899
8 Laos341219
9 Brunei1225
10 Cambodia03912
11 Timor-Leste0033
Total4454335841462

There were 1,462 medals awarded, 445 of which were gold, 433 were silver, and 584 were bronze.

Mascot

Gilas (Might), the 23rd Southeast Asian Games Philippines 2005 Official Mascot

Gilas (Skill) is a Philippine eagle. It is one of the world's largest eagles; distinct for its majestic plumage on its head. The eagle is a symbol of elegance, strength and pride. It captured the winning spirit of the athletes. Gilas was inspired by the Filipino words Maliksi (agile), Malakas (strong), Matalino (smart), Mataas (high), and Matalas (sharp).

The SEA Games mascot was originally a Philippine tarsier until the Philippine SEA Games Organising Committee (PhilSOC) changed it to the Philippine eagle.

The SEA Games mascot Gilas was designed by Filipino sportswriter/columnist Danny Simon.

Logo

The 2005 SEA Games logo shows a festival mask similar to those found in most Southeast Asian countries. It represents the many different cultures that came together for the Games. At the same time the mask captures the exuberant spirit and hospitality of the Filipinos. The logo was inspired by the MassKara Festival held annually in Bacolod City, one of the satellite venues of the event.

The logo was designed by Filipino freelance graphic designer Joel Manalastas.

Theme and hymn

The theme of the games was "One Heritage, One Southeast Asia." Highlighted during the games' opening ceremony, the theme emphasises unity and co-operation among the 11 member nations of the SEA Games Federation.

Billboards hang along EDSA for the Southeast Asian Games.

The official hymn was "We're All Just One." The hymn was composed by singer-composer Jose Mari Chan and lyricist Rene Nieva. It was sung by nine-year-old Julia Abueva, granddaughter of Philippine national artist Napoleon Abueva, and University of the Philippines President Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman. She was accompanied by the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.

Preparations

The organising body for these Games was the Philippine SEA Games Organising Committee (PhilSOC). In addition, while venues outside Manila actively prepared for welcoming the visiting athletes, organisers in the capital region had numerous problems drumming-up widespread support and exposure for the Games. Among the only visible indications of the Games, apart from the commercial sponsors' advertisements, were the welcome banners put up by the city government.

Opening ceremony

The 11 national flags of the participating countries in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games fly high during the opening ceremony on Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand.

The opening ceremonies of the games were held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila; the first time a park was utilised instead of a stadium. By doing so, it brought down costs, alleviating the need to spend millions of pesos just to upgrade existing facilities. It also accommodated an audience that is considered the largest in an opening ceremony, bigger than the openers of the Olympic Games.

200,000 spectators gathered at the park to witness the three-hour ceremony officiated by the Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. But unfortunately, Arroyo was booed by the spectators due to the alleged cheating in the Philippine general election, 2004. Starting with a parade of the Philippine flag carried by members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Girl Scouts of the Philippines (from Siena College of Quezon City), it was followed by the Philippines's best athletes, as well as some SEA Games alumni. After the national anthem of the Philippines was sung, a colourful cultural dance was presented by the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company.

The carrying of the SEA Games Federation Flag was led by alumni athlete Eric Buhain, sprint queen Elma Muros-Posadas, and badminton player Weena Lim. The olympic torch was carried by winter olympics gold medalist Bruce Hernandez. The athletes and officials from the participating countries then marched in alphabetical order starting with the contingent from Brunei Darussalam, and ending with the 740-strong Philippine contingent. Following tradition, the host country entered the arena last.

Cebu City and other satellite venues opened the Games two days earlier with pomp and pageantry. The opening ceremonies in Cebu served as a precursor to the formal opening ceremonies in Manila.

In an unexpected move, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Philippines’ largest Islamic separatist group, sent representatives to attend the opening ceremonies as spectators; a “goodwill measure.”

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony of the Games was held at the Quirino Grandstand on 5 December, marking the end of the successful event. The Philippines, for the first time in the history of the Games, emerged as the champions after 28 years.

The Philippines passed on the SEA Games Federation Flag, as a sign of the completion of its hosting job, to the next host country, Thailand. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, Suwat Liptapanlop, was present to receive the flag. The Thai Olympic Committee will make the 24th edition of the games the most spectacular sporting event in its history, as the opening date also commemorates the 80th birth anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thai dancers graced the stage to provide spectators with a glimpse of what the athletes would expect in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Sports

The 2005 SEAG featured 40 sports in more than 393 events. The 23rd edition of the games had the highest number of sporting events in the entire history of the SEAG at that time; more events than the Asian Games and the Olympic Games. The Southeast Asian Games Federation, through the recommendation of the Philippine SEA Games Organising Committee (PhilSOC), decided to exclude basketball, a popular sport in the Philippines, from the competitions due to the decision of FIBA to ban the host country to participate in any international competitions of the sport.

¹ - not an official Olympic Sport
² - sport played only in the SEA Games
³ - not a traditional Olympic nor SEA Games Sport and introduced only by the host country.
° - a former official Olympic Sport, not applied in previous host countries and was introduced only by the host country.

Criticisms

Just like in previous editions, the 2005 SEA Games did not escape from criticisms. The Philippines' decision to scatter the events in multiple cities across the country posed logistical problems for the athletes and officials. Thailand protested a boxing decision that favoured the host country to the International Boxing Association (AIBA). The 2005 SEA Games website was also criticised for its outdated tally of the medal standings.

Nations

CountryAthletesOfficials
IOC CodeNameMenWomenTotalMenWomenTotal
BRU Brunei882110910911120
CAM Cambodia62157741344
INA Indonesia36726663331589404
LAO Laos6697560666
MAS Malaysia28113441522081301
MYA Myanmar19214033215434188
PHI Philippines (Host)45428974322187308
SIN Singapore19516836321675291
THA Thailand38928867722147268
TLS Timor-Leste2493313215
VIE Vietnam36029265225460314
Total32132159533618244952319

Venues

Alabang Country Club
Amoranto Velodrome
Manila Golf Club
Pasig Sports Center
Venues in Metro Manila; red pogs are sporting venues; blue pogs are non-sporting venues.
Host cities in the rest of the Philippines.

Metro Manila served as the main hub of the Games, though several events also took place in Bacolod City, Cebu City, Los Baños and Canlubang in Laguna, Tagaytay City in Cavite province, Angeles City in Pampanga, and the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales.

Competition venues

Non-competition venues

3rd ASEAN ParaGames

Main article: 2005 ASEAN ParaGames

The 3rd ASEAN ParaGames were held in Manila from 14 to 20 December 2005. This was the sporting event earmarked for physically challenged athletes in the Southeast Asian regional level. The ParaGames are held after every Southeast Asian Games (patterned after the Paralympics traditionally held days after the Olympic Games). Most of the events were held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Some new sports for the athletes were introduced and demonstrated by both foreign and local participants.

See also

References

    External links

    Preceded by
    2003
    Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam    		 Southeast Asian Games Succeeded by
    2007
    Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand