Winning the country’s second gold medal will be the ultimate mission when Team Philippines marches to the Paris Olympics on 26 July.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was cleared with his instructions, saying that the Filipinos should play their hearts out and fight with pride, passion, grace and determination in the centennial year of their participation in the Summer Games.
Joining the Chief Executive in sending off the athletes are Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann and PSC executive director Paolo Tatad as well as Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and POC chairman Steve Hontiveros.
A bunch of national sports association executives led by Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Terry Capistrano, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines secretary general Marcus Manalo and Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas chief Monico Puentevella were also in attendance to witness how President Marcos fired up the athletes.
Among the athletes who showed up were boxers Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and Hergie Bacyadan, gymnast Carlos Yulo, weightlifters John Ceniza, Elreen Ando and Vanessa Sarno, and rower Joanie Delgaco.
President Marcos stressed that the Filipinos should carry the colors of their nation with pride as they battle the world’s best athletes in the Summer Games.
“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 that was held at Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on Friday.
“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.”
The Filipino athletes will be marching to the Summer Games carrying the massive expectations of the entire nation that is still celebrating the victory of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the previous Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.
Ernest John Obiena, the second-best pole vaulter in the world, is heavily expected to deliver while boxers Eumir Marcial, Paalam and Petecio are all tipped to come up with strong fights after gaining significant experience in their previous Olympic appearance.
Of course, the gymnastics squad of Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar, Emma Malabuyo and fencer Samantha Catantan are capable of springing a surprise due to the subjective nature of their respective events.