DOWNPOUR OF BLESSINGS? Filipino athletes dazzle under the rain

There was a heavy downpour in downtown Paris but it failed to dampen the spirit of the brave Filipino athletes who boarded a boat to be part of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics at River Seine early Saturday (Manila time).

Olympic silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio led the squad of barong-clad Filipino warriors who braved the early evening rain just to be part of the six-kilometer parade that signifies the opening of the 23rd edition of the Olympics in the French capital.

Paalam and Petecio waved the Philippine flag with pride and honor while the rest of the national delegates in first-time Olympians Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan of boxing, Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino of athletes, Jarrod Hatch of swimming, Aleah Finnegan of gymnastics and Samantha Catantan of fencing were obviously mesmerized by the pageantry and celebration of the Olympic parade.

Kayla Sanchez, who won a pair of Olympic medals as part of the Canadian relay team in Tokyo, was also in the Filipino vessel as well as a handful of sports officials like gymnastics president Cynthia Carrion, boxing secretary general Marcus Manalo, swimming president Michael Angelo Vargas, athletics president Terry Capistrano and chef de mission Jonvic Remulla.

Rower Joanie Delgaco missed the opening parade as she was scheduled to see action in the women’s single sculls event on Saturday (Manila time) at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, which is located some 35 kilometers from the heart of Paris.

Carlos Yulo also missed the party as he was due to compete in the qualification of the men’s artistic gymnastics event also on Saturday at the Bercy Arena.

Rounding out the national delegation are weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Fabuar Ceniza, who will be arriving from their training camp in Germany on 4 August, as well as pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, who is camping with his coach Vitaly Petrov and training partners somewhere in Paris.

“Despite the rain, it’s our honor and pleasure to wave the flag of the Philippines,” a tired and wet Paalam posted on social media with a picture of him with the magnificent Eiffel Tower laced with the Olympic rings in the background.

“Please follow Team Philippines.”

Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino didn’t join the parade as he and POC secretary general Wharton Chan just stayed at the mouth of the Seine to watch athletes from all 206 athletes parade in a flotilla of boats in this incredible, never-before-seen opening show that was not held inside a stadium for the first time ever.

Tolentino — as well as other members of the Olympic family, dignitaries, big-shot delegates, sports ministers and heads of state led by French President Emmanuel Macron — wasn’t spared from experiencing the gentle summer drizzle as he was soaking wet at the conclusion of the rainy boat party.

“The heat of the competition is on!” Tolentino, who wore a raincoat to minimize the getting wet in the colorful affair that lasted for four hours,” he said.

“But the opening ceremony was indeed spectacular, an amazing theatrical presentation.”

The birthplace of the Olympics — Greece, led by National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo — was the first country to sail in the traditional parade of nations followed by the Refugee Team, Afghanistan, South Africa, Albania, Algeria and Germany.

The Filipinos showed up at No. 148th — nearly an hour after the Ivory Coast team featuring Philippine-born fencer Maxine Esteban sailed through the Seine at No. 50.

Asian titan China, headed by its legendary table tennis player Ma Long and artistic swimmer Feng Yu, sailed through the Seine at No. 41 while the United States, with NBA megastar LeBron James and rising tennis sensation Coco Gauff wrapped up the parade that featured the rich French culture, diversity and history.