Daily Tribune‘We are very proud of our athletes,’ Tolentino said during the send-off ceremony led by no less than President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Richard ‘Dickie’ Bachmann and a handful of national sports association leaders in attendance.
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THE Philippine delegation finally makes it to Metz, to start its one-month training camp for the Paris Olympics.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino
ERNEST John Obiena is ready to claim his first Olympic medal in Paris.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PSC-POC Media Pool
EUMIR Marcial has only one thing in mind: The Paris Olympics gold medal.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF POC
CARLOS Yulo vows to put on a show in the Paris Olympics.
PAUL ELLIS/agence france-presse
With the success of Hidilyn Diaz’s golden conquest in Tokyo still fresh, the pressure is on for the Filipino athletes to deliver an impressive finish in the Paris Olympics that will open on 26 July in Seine River.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the Filipino athletes are in high spirits, ready to deliver their best performance in the 100th year of their participation in the biggest and most prestigious sports conclave in the world.
“We are very proud of our athletes,” Tolentino said during the send-off ceremony led by no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Richard “Dickie” Bachmann and a handful of national sports association leaders in attendance.
“They have shown tremendous dedication and have made significant progress. With the support of the PSC and private sponsors, we are confident that they will perform well in Paris.”
True enough, the POC will be sending its strongest team in recent memory.
Ernest John Obiena had blossomed into the second-best pole vaulter in the world while boxers Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial are older, wiser and better after their memorable Olympic participation in Tokyo three years ago.
The 28-year-old Obiena continues to break barriers.
He is in top form after winning his third gold medal in the past six tournaments. But more than that, he will march to the Summer Games as a member of the exclusive six-meter club, something that will boost his confidence as he seeks to bounce back from a forgettable 11th place finish in Tokyo three years ago.
“I’m always looking to improve and push my limits,” said Obiena, who is favored to land on the medal podium after setting the Asian record of 6.0 meters and winning the gold medal in the 19th Asian Games.
“The journey to Paris is a challenging one, but I’m ready to give it my all.”
Marcial, a bronze medalist in the previous Olympics, is determined to turn his medal into gold in Paris.
His rise began with a silver medal in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, followed by gold medals in the 29th and 30th editions in Kuala Lumpur and Manila, respectively, and a bronze medal in the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
In 2023, he secured a significant victory in a professional bout in Las Vegas that boosted his confidence on top of the ring.
“Every day I train with the goal of winning gold in mind,” said Marcial, who earned a ticket to the Olympics following a silver-medal finish in the 19th Asian Games.
“Tokyo was a stepping stone, and now I know what it takes to reach the top. The support from my team and the entire nation keeps me motivated.”
Carlos Yulo, a gymnastics sensation, could pull off a surprise as he has consistently dazzled on the world stage in a purely subjective sport.
His journey from a young boy training in Japan to an elite gymnast is nothing short of inspiring. He claimed the gold medal in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the first Filipino to do so.
His impressive streak continued with a gold in vault and a bronze in parallel bars at the 2022 World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, and another gold in the 2023 Asian Gymnastics Championships in Singapore.
“I feel more prepared than ever for Paris 2024,” said Yulo, who will be backed by three United States-trained gymnasts in Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo in his bid to clinch an Olympic medal.
“The training has been intense, and I’ve been working on perfecting my routines. I want to make my country proud and hopefully bring home another gold.”
Aside from Obiena, Marcial and Yulo, the weightlifters like Elreen Ando and Vanessa Sarno are also being counted on to deliver.
Ando, who competes in the 59-kg category, has shown promise. She lifted 228 kgs at the IWF World Championships, narrowly missing the podium but gaining valuable experience.
“I’m motivated by what Hidilyn achieved,” said Ando, who denied Diaz her fifth consecutive Olympic participation in the World Championships in Phuket, Thailand.
“It shows that we Filipinos can excel on the world stage. I train hard every day, hoping to bring glory to our country.”
Sarno, on the other hand, is a rising star in the 71-kg category.
At 20 years old, she has already made waves, winning the gold in the Asian Weightlifting Championships. Her potential is immense, and she is considered a strong contender for an Olympic medal.
“My goal is to follow in Hidilyn’s footsteps and make my country proud,” Sarno stressed.
“The support from my coaches and the community keeps me going.”
Rounding out the Olympic qualifiers are boxers Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan, fencer Samantha Catantan, rower Joanie Delgaco, weightlifter John Ceniza, and golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina.
More qualifiers will be named in the coming days.
Filipino-Japanese Kiyomi Watanabe is expected to make her Olympic return while trackers Robyn Brown, Kristina Knott, John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman have handsome chances to make it as well.
The Philippine Aquatics Inc. is also set to name its bets in swimming as part of the university rule — or slots that are given to countries with no Olympic entries in centerpiece sports of swimming and athletics.
No names have been officially mentioned at press time but sources said the aquatics federation will name Kayla Sanchez and Jarrod Hatch as its representatives.
With that, it could be the biggest Olympic delegation of Team Philippines in the past 32 years after it sent only 19 in Tokyo in 2020, 13 in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, 11 in London in 2012, 15 in Beijing in 2008, 16 in Athens in 2004, 20 in Sydney in 2000, and 12 in Atlanta in 1996.
Prior to Paris, the biggest Olympic delegation was 26 in the 1992 Barcelona Games, an edition that was made memorable by boxer Roel Velasco’s bronze medal in the men’s lightweight event.
President Marcos said their goal is not just to win an Olympic medal.
“Whether you are a boxer, or a gymnast, or a scholar, or a rower, or an athlete competing, you exemplify the very best of what it means to be a Filipino,” President Marcos said during the send-off rites.
“You are competitive, courageous, and determined, but you do it with a smile and grace. As you step up to the global stage, hold our flag high and show the world what a Filipino is made of.”
Addressing Filipino Olympians, Marcos said that the administration supports athletes and that P1.156 billion has already been earmarked for sports through the PSC.
“You carry our hopes and dreams to Paris, you also carry with you the banner of our nation that believes in you, stands proudly beside you, and celebrates your every triumph, and is with you through any obstacle,” the Chief Executive said.
As the nation rallies behind its athletes, the spirit of resilience and determination shines through.
