Photo screengrabbed from Patrick Coo’s Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — BMX rider Patrick Coo is gunning to become the youngest member of Team Philippines as he vies for a slot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through the International Cycling Union World Cup Round 4 qualifiers in Bogota on May 30.
Coo, 19, will join PhilCycling coaches Ednalyn Hualda and Frederick Farr in the Colombian capital on May 11 as the participants in the Olympic qualifiers need to complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
“I am very much motivated and excited to go after that slot [to the Tokyo Olympics],” said Coo, a 2019 Asian BMX juniors champion.
Coo will be the lone Philippine representative in Colombia after Daniel Caluag, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics, failed to prepare in time due to his commitments as a frontline nurse in Kentucky.
“When Danny won, I was motivated to race for the Philippines,” said Coo of Caluag’s gold medal campaign in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
There are seven Filipinos who have so far, qualified for the Olympics and those are boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam, weightlifter and Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, and gymnast Carlos Yulo.
“We are hoping for Patrick to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics not only because of his potentials to become a champion but because of his passion and motivation—he trains endlessly,” said Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“I train hard all the time, but I am expecting tough opponents in Colombia,” said Coo.