Gebbie, Rule round up PH team to Tokyo

Swimmers Luke Gebbie and Remedy Rule completed the Philippine roster for the Tokyo Olympics starting later this month.

The Southeast Asian (SEA) Games medalists made it through universality rule of the Fina (international swimming federation) for making the Olympic Standard Times (OST) in their respective events. The OST is different from the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), which both athletes missed.

Their entry pegged Team Philippines to 19 competitors in 11 sports in the games that will be held under pandemic restrictions from July 23 to Aug. 8.

“In three weeks, the urn in Tokyo will be burning and Team Philippines—from athletes and coaches down to the secretariat are ready for action,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abaraham Tolentino.

Philippines chief of mission Mariano Araneta will lead the first batch of the PH contingent, which will fly to Narita on July 15.

Filipino Australian Luke Gebbie will see action in men’s 100-meter freestyle after submitting a time of 49.94 seconds. It was well within the 50.03 seconds OST but missed the 48.57-second OQT.

The 24-year-old Gebbie, based in Melbourne, won silver in 4x100m freestyle relay and bronze in 50-m freestyle during the 2019 SEA Games.

Rule, 24, also made the women’s 200-m butterfly OST (2:12.28) with a time of two minutes and 9.58 seconds. The OQT for her event was 2:03.43.

She won two silvers and two bronzes during the SEA Games two years ago.

The Philippine team will be billeted at Conrad Hotel, according to Tolentino, who added that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) already shelled out P11 million for the accommodation expenses.

The PSC has earmarked a total of P48 million for the country’s Olympic campaign. It was part of the P200-million budget that included the athletes preparations. INQ