Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski is now an official member of the International Olympic Committee.
The 2002 Asian Games champion in equestrian got 79 out of 97 possible votes from the IOC general assembly during the 125th IOC session in Buenos Aires, Argentina and became the third Filipino to hold the distinguished position in the Olympic body.
Cojuangco-Jaworski, 39, has been installed to continue the work of IOC representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde, who will step down at the end of the year after serving the world governing body in sports for 28 years.
Philippine Olympic Committee first vice president Joey Romasanta said Elizalde would still serve the Swiss-based body as an honorary member.
Romasanta said Cojuangco-Jaworski, daughter of POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., would also serve as the country’s voice in the powerful IOC, which elected a new president in Thomas Bach of Germany. Bach succeeded Jacques Rogge of Belgium.
“Not all countries have an IOC member, and we’re blessed to have one,” said Romasanta of Cojuangco-Jaworski, who is expected to come home on Sept. 17.
Out of 204 countries in the IOC movement, only less than a hundred have IOC members.