MISSION POSSIBLE: Tough tasks await Vargas, Panlilio, Canlas, Gomez

The goal of sustaining the country’s impressive performance rests on the shoulders of four distinguished sports executives who were appointed as chiefs of mission in major international tournaments ahead.

In the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) general assembly meeting on Wednesday, the 65-man body ratified the appointments of boxing chairman Ricky Vargas, basketball chief Al Panlilio, modern pentathlon boss Richard Gomez, and surfing top honcho Dr. Jose Raul Canlas as delegation heads in key events in the future.

Vargas, the former POC chief, will serve chief of mission in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 while Panlilio will call the shots in the Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, Gomez in the Milan Winter Olympics in 2026, and Canlas in the Bangkok Southeast Asian Games this December.

Other chiefs of mission appointed during the general assembly were Karate Pilipinas president Richard Lim for the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China and Muaythai Association of the Philippines president Stephen Arapoc for the World Games in Chengdu, China.

Also appointed were former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta as ethics committee chairman while Atty. Daniel Hofileña, a non-POC member, will head the arbitration committee.

No less than POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino made the announcement, saying that he believes that the delegation heads will hit the ground running and rally the athletes to yet another memorable performance in the international arena.

“The objective is to prepare our teams — and athletes — in earnest for the international competitions, that’s why the chefs de mission were appointed,” Tolentino said after presiding over his first general assembly of this year.

“If we prepare early, there will be no excuses.”

Filipino athletes have enjoyed a lot of success in the past international events.

In the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023, the Filipinos collected 58 gold medals — their highest haul in a biennial meet outside the country since winning 59 mints in the Jakarta SEA Games in 1987.

The same year also saw Gilas Pilipinas end a 61-year gold medal drought in the 19th Asian Games as they defeated the Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-led Jordan, 80-70, in the final in Hangzhou, China.

But the Philippines’ biggest win belongs to Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, who made history after clinching two gold medals in the Paris Olympics last year.

Canlas and Gomez acknowledge the challenges ahead so they will start preparing the athletes as soon as possible.

Canlas, for one, told DAILY TRIBUNE that the goal for this year’s SEA Games is simple: Surpass the 58 gold medals won in Phnom Penh.

“We definitely have to do better than the last SEA Games. Right now, we are working on entry by number per sport,” Canlas said in a short message.

“We will have to go per sport to see their preparations.”

For Gomez, who was also the delegation head in the Jakarta and Hangzhou editions of the Asian Games, said he expects the national sports associations (NSA) to make early preparations for the qualifiers to enter the Winter Games.

“The NSAs have a year to prepare,” said Gomez, who is looking forward to surpass the country’s performance in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018.

“They will have to start preparations early, talk to PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) for possible funding, and work on their training plans and qualifications for the Milano Winter Olympics.”