Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
HANGZHOU, CHINA—The plan to use the Asian Games (Asiad) as a less complicated path to the Paris Olympics yielded just one ticket to the Summer Games so far.
That means there will be a mad scramble for more slots to the 2024 Olympiad in the next nine months or so.
Boxer Eumir Felix Marcial punched a ticket to the glamorous French capital after making the final of the men’s 80-kilogram division in the continental showcase.
“I hope there will be more,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino late Sunday night at a dinner he hosted for the Asiad medalists in Manila.
Marcial ended up settling for a silver, but he was in a good mood during that gathering—a combination of being optimistic about his Olympic bid and getting the result he prayed for in another form.
“I prayed that I would get the Asian Games gold and even if I settled for the silver, I feel like my prayers were answered because my countrymen believe I should have won the gold,” Marcial said.
“Eumir won the bronze in Tokyo (Olympics) and the silver in the Asian Games. So maybe the next is [the gold] in Paris,” Tolentino said.
Tokyo silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio failed in their bids to grab return tickets to the Olympics and will have to resort to two qualification windows next year—one in Italy in February and another in Thailand—to try and make it to Paris.
“We’re not yet done. I can’t wait to go back to the gym to prepare hard for the qualifying,’’ said Petecio in Filipino after she was ushered out of the women’s 57-kg class even before the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist in her first bout.
Paalam got eliminated in the quarterfinals.
“My opponents are big and smart, too. I’m slowly adjusting [at 57 kg], but I’m still weighing my options,’’ said Paalam.
So far the Philippines has qualified four athletes to Paris: Pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan as well as Marcial.
“I’ll have at least two [professional] fights before my Paris training, one in December and another one early next year,’’ said Marcial.
Weightlifting celebrity Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the country’s lone Olympic gold medal in history, is looking to qualify for a Philippine record fifth consecutive Olympics and is beginning to fall in love with her chances.
“So far, I’m happy with my progress. I’ve become stronger and should be at fifth or sixth [among the possible participants in the Olympics]. I just have to keep on working,’’ said Diaz, who needs to complete two more tournaments to gain Paris access.
Swimmer Kayla Noelle Sanchez failed to meet the qualification standards and admitted she was still working her way back to top form and should be ready in several more qualifying races moving forward.