Sibol eyes dominance in 2023 SEA Games

Sibol is looking not just to compete, but dominate, when the national esports team sees action in the upcoming 32nd SEA Games next month in Cambodia.

Overall head coach Ralph Andrei "Leathergoods" Llabres bared that they are eyeing to surpass what the national squad had achieved in the previous biennial meet editions, as it could set the tone for the rest of the year for Sibol.

"Opening kasi 'to for the Team Sibol for the year so most definitely if we get good results then it would be a good omen for the rest of the year," Llabres said during Sibol's 2023 campaign kick-off press conference on Thursday.

Ever since esports was included in SEA Games, the Philippines has proven to be a strong force.

In 2019 here, the country topped the medal table with a total of five medals, three of which were gold from Dota II, Starcraft II, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. In 2022, though, Sibol slipped to third place with only two gold and two silver as host Vietnam took the top spot with their seven medals.

In the upcoming Cambodia Games, Sibol is vying to regain the top spot.
Llabres said the goal is more than doable, adding that Sibol has improved since the past two editions.

"Last year in Vietnam, it was actually the first time na lumipad, na we flew out athletes for the SEA Games. So now I think we have more advantage since we already learned logistically on how we will handle 'yung mga athletes natin, paano natin sila mas matutulungan, kung paano natin matutulungan 'yung training."

"Ngayon, ang pinaka kailangan matutunan ng athletes natin is kung paano nila ike-keep 'yung same intensity from the first one until 'yung ngayong year."

After the SEA Games, three other major competitions are in the pipeline for Sibol. They will also compete in the 2023 IESF World Esports Championship in Romania in July, where the country last bagged a silver medal in MLBB action.

The nationals will then see action in the Asian Games in September before closing out the year in November at the AIMAG.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News