INQUIRER Sports

BEIJING, China -- Fifteen Filipino athletes will strive to get the first Olympic gold for the Philippines in the 29th Olympics here, an official said.

Joey Romasanta, press officer of the Philippine sports delegation, said the country's hopes were pinned on boxer Harry Tanamor, shooter Eric Ang, female diver Sheila Mae Perez, and the two tae-kwondo jins.

"Here in the Olympic Village, you will see, literally, a sea of the world's best athletic specimens and it's easy to be intimidated just by how they look. We just ask [the Filipino Olympians] to do their best," Romasanta said in an interview over the phone.

"Sila naman, fight [And they are raring to fight]. They did not come here unprepared. They went through a series of tournaments," he said, noting that shooter Ang is one of the world's 33 top shooters.

The other Filipino athletes will participate in swimming (five), diving (male), archery, and weight-lifting (female).

Romasanta said shooter Ang might not join the parade this evening as he would already start competing Saturday morning, August 9.

"It would be difficult for him because he may tire from standing and waiting at the holding area for the parade of athletes," he said.

Romasanta also admitted that the smog, which in the Olympic Village has reduced visibility to just two kilometers, has been a "serious concern."

"The weather has been agreeable, not muggy and windy. But we don't know how it will affect our athletes," he said.

The closest that the Philippines got to an Olympic gold, he said, was in 1996, not 1988 as posted, when boxer Onyok Velasco won a silver.

"We also won a gold in bowling that time, but bowling was just a demo sport then," Romasanta said.

Despite all the competition, Romasanta said the 15 Filipino athletes here have been told to do their best and go for any medal.

"With a little luck and a lot of dasal [prayer], we hope to do so," he said.