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The Philippine Volcanoes are hot on the trail of an Olympic spot in Rio De Janeiro next year.
Ranked sixth in Asia, the Philippine men’s rugby 7 team needs to climb three notches up the continental rankings for a sure seat in the 2016 Olympics.
Commissioner Jolly Gomez of the Philippine Sports Commission said Wednesday the Volcanoes would compete in four overseas tournaments prior to the Summer Games on Aug. 5-21 next year to gain more ranking points.
READ: PH Volcanoes ready to ‘rock and roll’ to the Olympics
Right now, Japan is the No.1 men’s rugby squad in Asia (74.70 points). At far second is South Korea (58.38) followed by Hong Kong (54.64), Sri Lanka (49.79), Kazakhstan (48.14) and the Philippines (45.12).
“We have to earn more ranking points and I think climbing to No. 3 before the Olympics is doable,’’ said Gomez, the commissioner assigned to monitor the progress of the Volcanoes.
Headlined by seasoned veterans Jake Letts, Justin Coveney, Gareth Holgate and Matt Saunders, the 12-man rugby seven team will compete in top-level tournaments in China, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong to overhaul the deficit.
READ: Road to 2016 Rio Olympics begins for PH Volcanoes
With the way they’re performing lately, the Volcanoes are projected to punch a ticket to Rio, a good sign to increase the number of Filipino qualifiers in the Olympics.
So far, only Fil-American hurdler Eric Cray, a double-gold medalist in the Singapore SEAG, has qualified to Rio. Cray has met the Olympic qualifying standard in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Two-time Olympians Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and long-jumper Marestella Torres are also hoping for a return trip to the Olympics along with BMX racer Daniel Caluag.
The possible entry of the Volcanoes could inflate the size of the Philippine delegation not seen in previous editions of the world’s biggest sports gathering.
The participation of the Philippines in the Summer Games is on a steady decline since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney where 20 Filipino athletes competed.
A total of 16 Filipinos played in 2004 Athens, 15 in 2008 Beijing and 11 in London.