Over 100 Filipino bets eye Rio slots

Two-time Olympians Marestella Torres and Mark Javier are bidding for another trip to the world’s biggest sports spectacle along with 100 other Filipino athletes identified by various national sports associations.

Torres, who competed in the women’s long jump during the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, headlined the list of track and field aspirants while Javierwill spearhead archery’s campaign to the qualifiers of the Rio Olympics next year.

Youth Olympic Games mixed doubles gold medalist Luis Gabriel Moreno was included in the cast of hopefuls submitted by 24 NSAs to the Philippine Olympic Committee, together with London Olympians Mark Anthony Barriga of boxing, swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Khing Lacuna and BMX cyclist Daniel Caluag.

Boxing, the country’s brightest bet to bring home a medal, has listed 19 boxers with lightweight Charly Suarez, flyweight Rey Saludar, bantam Mario Fernandez and welter Eumir Felix Marcial among them.

Golfers Princess Superal and Clare Legaspihave joined the list of aspirants along with shooters Hagen Topacio and Amparo Acuna, Southeast Asian Games champion Reyland Capellan of gymnastics and Fil-American artistic gymnast Ava Verdeflor.

Only SEAG double-gold medalist Eric Cray has made it to Rio after meeting the standard in the 400-meter hurdles.