Olympic aspirants begin Calamba bubble training on Jan. 9

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s national athletes are set to resume their training starting this weekend ahead of their bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

According to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, several bets in karate, taekwondo and boxing will be back training on Jan. 9 in a bubble setup at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

“Our NSA (national sports associations) and athletes are just waiting for the go signal from PSC (Philippine Sports Commission),” Tolentino said in Filipino on Tuesday during the PSA Forum.

The training bubble comes at a crucial time for the athletes, whose preparations have stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the delays, Tolentino remains optimistic about the country’s chances to finally claim an Olympic gold medal.

“For this year, the wish not only for myself but for the entire POC, is that we’re praying for the first Olympic gold for the Philippines. Whether it’s the first one or more than one. We have a strong feeling about this and all of us are praying that it’s going to be a blessing if we get one or more.”

Tolentino also said he is eyeing a top three finish in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam if the Philippine delegation falls short to keep the overall championship.