KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 ― A total of 4,888 athletes from 11 Southeast Asian (SEA) countries had registered to compete in 38 sports at the upcoming 29th SEA Games scheduled to be held here from August 19 to 30.

The SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) president, Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar, said host Malaysia would be sending the largest contingent with 874 athletes, while SEA Games powerhouse Thailand to pose strong challenge with a strong team of 858 athletes.

Indonesia who is preparing to host next year’s Asian Games to field 629 athletes, while Singapore would come with 582 athletes, followed by the Philippines with 497 athletes.

Timor Leste will be the smallest contingent with only 48 athletes, while Brunei and Cambodia registered 109 and 178 athletes respectively after the registration was closed on June 30.

However, Tunku Imran said the SEAGF expected changes in the numbers as the athletes may get injured and pull out for various reasons before the games kicked off.

“This is not the biggest number of participants for SEA Games. The largest participation was recorded in the 2005 edition in Manila with 5,336 athletes. But for Malaysia and in Malaysia, this is the biggest.

“Only one event, that is women’s 3000m steeplechase is omitted because it didn’t get the minimum (four) number of participants as only Vietnam registered.

“However, we will try to communicate with other National Olympic Councils to get participants to stage the event,” Tunku Imran said when announcing the list at the Wisma OCM here, today.

With the absence of the women’s 3000m steeplechase event, there will be only 404 events contested at the Kuala Lumpur edition this year compared to 405 events decided earlier.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail confirmed that the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin would participate in the equestrian endurance and polo event respectively.

“We participate in all events except in the women’s 200m butterfly (swimming), men’s and women’s 10,000m, women’s marathon, women’s 3000m steeplechase (athletics), as well as men’s and women’s squash jumbo doubles.

“Badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei is not in the list because he will participate in the World Championship in Glasgow,” he said.

However, the medal target for Malaysia and the names of athletes were not revealed to media at the press meet. ― Bernama