PSC picks 3 athletes for all-out Olympic support

Philippine silver medallist at the Rio Olympics, Hidilyn Diaz shows her medal during a press conference as she arrives at the Manila International Airport in Manila on August 11, 2016. Diaz is the country’s first Olympic winner in 20 years. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS

Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe and gymnast Carlos Yulo have been handpicked to receive all-out government support for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Philippine Sports Commission Chair Butch Ramirez said they would be part of the athletes pool that will chase the country’s first gold medal in the Summer Games.

“We like to share to the NSAs (national sports associations) that we have identified 25 athletes more or less that we will be funding up to the Olympics,” said Ramirez.

The agency has not revealed the complete list yet but Ramirez said that most of them are capable of winning Olympic medals given the right support.

Ramirez said they would sit down with the NSAs to examine the list before proceeding with the program that could even go beyond 2020.