NDO/VNA - Filipino boxers dominated the 30th Southeast Asian Games two years ago, garnering seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

According to Secretary General of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) Marcus Manalo, trying to duplicate or surpass that performance at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam’s Hanoi next month could still be possible. He, however, said that being medal-oriented is not the way how the ABAP programme works.

“We don’t really talk like we have to win this number of golds or whatever. We are really focused on the process (in making our boxers better). To take care of the process and improve as much as you can,” Manalo said.

Australian coach Don Abnett will lead the Philippine boxing team at SEA Games 31. He was the architect of the country’s most successful Olympic ring campaign last year that brought home two silvers and a bronze in the Tokyo Summer Games.

The Filipino national boxing team are currently training at the Thai National Boxing Training Center in Muak Lek, Suraburi province, according to Manalo.