Top athletes seek AC posts

A star-studded cast, including former Olympians, will be gunning for spots in the executive board when the Athletes Commission holds its election on 27 January at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Tokyo Olympics veterans Ernest John Obiena of athletics and Nesthy Petecio of boxing as well as two-time Summer Games bidder Jessie Khing Lacuna of swimming will be vying for posts in the seven-man board.

Once elected, the board will choose its chairman, who will serve as athletes' representative to the Philippine Olympic Committee executive council, and two representatives to the POC general assembly.

Aside from Obiena, Petecio and Lacuna, also gunning for the Athletes Commission posts are John Chicano of triathlon, Jayson Valdez and Amparo Acuna of shooting, Inna Palacios of football, Jack Animam of basketball, and Kai Stroem of rugby.

They are looking to occupy the spots that will be vacated by Athletes Commission chairman Nikko Huelgas of triathlon, Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, Samuel Morrison of taekwondo, Jake Letts of ruby, Cheska Almonte of softball, Petecio and Lacuna.

The Athletes Commission has been a major help to the members of the national team.

In fact, it is running various programs like the Anti-Doping Awareness Webinar and Mental Health Sessions to help athletes in their pursuit of athletic glory.