POC: 2018 Asiad preparations must be in full swing by now

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco has ordered national sports associations (NSAs) to ramp up the training for the 2018 Asian Games (Asiad) in Indonesia—four years after the country went home with just one gold from South Korea.

Only cyclist Daniel Caluag came home triumphant in the BMX event which debuted in the quadrennial games that year.

The country laid a fat egg in the centerpiece sports athletics and swimming, which had the most number of medals disputed at 48 and 42, respectively.

“NSAs must also focus during the training on the strength conditioning and nutrition of their Asiad-bound athletes,” said Cojuangco after the POC executive board approved the criteria for the Asian Games slated Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 in Jakarta and Palembang.

Based on the recommendation of chief of mission Julian Camacho of wushu, top four finishers in the previous Asiad will automatically make it to the roster as well as those who won gold and silver in the previous Southeast Asian Games and Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games .

Athletes who are privately funded for Asiad and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, current Olympic Solidarity scholars, and those with performances landing in the top eight in the world will also get the green light.