Kiyomi, hurdlers enter Athletes Village

More Filipino athletes are checking into the Athletes Village as they prepare for the opening salvo of the Paris Olympics on Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the Seine River.

Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe and hurdlers John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman became the latest residents of the sprawling housing facility as they formally checked in to join the rest of the Filipino delegation on Thursday.

The Japan-based Watanabe arrived in Paris from Tokyo together with her sparring partner Chiri Nozawa and Philippine Judo Federation president Ali Sulit.

It’s going to be Watanabe’s second time to see action in the Olympics after making a forgettable stint in Tokyo three years ago in which she suffered a 38-second loss to Christina Cabana Perez of Spain in the Round of 64 of the women’s -63kg event.

Watanabe will kick off her campaign on 30 July at the Grand Palais Éphémère.

Also making their way in the French capital are Spain-based Cabang and United States-based Hoffman.

Cabang and Hoffman had been reunited with top Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association executives, led by president Terry Capistrano and secretary general Jasper Tanhueco, who were already in Paris as early as early this week.

Capistrano and Tanhueco’s other Olympic athlete — Ernest John Obiena — is also already in Paris but he is staying with his coach Vitaly Petrov and training partners Huang Bokai of China and Hussein Al-Hizam of Saudi Arabia.

Hoffman will start her campaign in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at 4 p.m. at the same time that Cabang sees action in the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the Stade de France.

With Watanabe, Cabang and Hoffman already in, the national delegation is slowly getting complete in time for the opening ceremonies.

Boxers Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Marcial, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan, gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo, rower Joanie Delgaco and fencer Samantha Catantan have made already their way to the Athletes’ Village in preparation for the Olympic opener.

Also expected to arrive in the coming days are Obiena, swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Ceniza and golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina.