Kurt Barbosa gets another reason to work hard for a spot in the Los Angeles Olympics following the birth of his son, Jean Kairo.

Barbosa, who had a forgettable stint in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, said the birth of his son last May gave him a sense of purpose, prompting him to work hard in his quest for glory in the next Summer Games in 2028.

“Since my child was born, everything changed. I am also doing this for him, my family, and the country,” said Barbosa during the presentation of the new batch of Atletang Ayala on Wednesday at the Ayala Foundation headquarters in Makati City.

“I have a lot of responsibilities given to me and I need to prove I can do it to qualify for 2028.”

Being a father could actually be a good sign for Barbosa as there are Filipino athletes who were able to reach the Summer Games after becoming parents.

Long jumper Marestella Torres-Sunang was still able to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics following the birth of her son, Matvie, in 2014.

Boxer Carlo Paalam also booked his ticket to the Paris Summer Games while also tending to his duties as a father to his daughter, Celeste.

With the Atletang Ayala program also giving the athletes stability via employment apart from financial support for their competitions, the taekwondo jin from Bangued, Abra is thankful for the support.

“This will help me in becoming an athlete and being part of the corporate world. This will be my work after my career as an athlete,” Barbosa said.

“I’m thankful to be part of Atletang Ayala. My needs will be attended to in my journey as an athlete.”