The Philippine Olympic Committee is looking to send a big delegation to the Paris Olympics set from 26 July to 11 August.

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino yesterday said a total of 13 Filipino athletes are already cinch to see action but they will do everything to increase the number, especially since it’s going to be the country’s 100th year of participating in the biggest and most prestigious sporting event in the world.

“We have as of now qualified 13 athletes for Paris,” Tolentino told the First POC Journey to Olympic Briefing at the Milky Way Restaurant in Makati City on Friday.

Nine athletes are going to Paris by direct qualification — pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Erleen Ann Ando and John Febuar Ceniza, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.

A fourth weightlifter, Rosegie Ramos, according to Tolentino, is technically qualified in women’s 49-kilogram class despite winding up No. 11 in the world rankings after the Phuket qualifiers last month.

The qualification of the weightlifters will be formally announced when the International Weightlifting Federation closes its qualifying window on 28 April.

“A Belgian (Niña Sterckx) ranks No. 7 in Rosegie’s class, but she lacks the mandatory six qualifiers for Paris, and according to weightlifting’s international federation, Rosegie’s technically qualified,” said Tolentino, who presided over the meeting graced by chief of mission Jonvic Remulla and POC secretary general Wharton Chan together with a handful of national sports association executives.

Among the NSA leaders present were gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion, athletics boss Terry Capistrano, surfing head Jose Raul Canlas, and golf secretary general Bones Floro.

Tolentino added that the 11th and 12th Olympic delegates will be swimmers Kyla Sanchez and Jarrod Hatch, who are both expected to make it via the universality rule.

The 13th qualifier is in women’s athletics also via the universality rule.

Meanwhile, those who are still in the thick of shooting for slots in the Summer Games are Robyn Brown of athletics, Cris Nievarez and Joanie Delgaco of rowing, brothers Keisei and Shugen Nakano and Kiyomi Watanabe of judo, Jericho Francisco of skateboarding, Patrick Coo and Shagne Yaoyao of cycling, Emma Malabuyo of gymnastics, Bianca Pagdanganan of golf.

Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam and former Olympian Rogen Ladon will also try to make a return to the Summer Games together with other pugs like Criz Laurente and Hergie Bacyadan.

Tolentino said the new batch of Olympians will be training in a world-class facility at Les Arenas Metz in La Moselle to help them acclimatize for the Games.

“This is the first time that our Olympians are immersing themselves in the host city of the Olympics for a month,” said Tolentino, thanking Cignal for bankrolling the training camp with Peak as official apparel and Smart and Standard Insurance as official sponsors.