Photos of members of Team Philippines for the Paris Olympics 2024 on display during the Olympics send off hosted by POC and Cignal, the official broadcast partner for the Summer Games. –Cignal TV PHOTO
A well-funded delegation. A trailblazing training camp right inside the Olympics host country. Inspired athletes.
These are just some of the factors the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) believes will enable Team Philippines to surpass what has been its most successful stint in the Summer Games thus far.
“Definitely, we will deliver,” POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. “With this template, with this preparation, we will surpass the Tokyo record.’’
That Tokyo record is special. Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won the country’s first Olympic gold medal and the Philippine delegation came back from the Japanese capital with two more silvers and a bronze—all courtesy of a boxing squad whose medalists are back for another crack at Olympic glory.
“I know we’re capable of winning a gold and the goal is to exceed our performance in Tokyo,’’ said Tolentino, who admitted to being overly excited as the Games nears.
“I’ve been having difficulty sleeping with the Olympics 10 days away,’’ he said. “We already surpassed the number of athletes. God-willing, we will surpass the Tokyo (medal) record,’’ said Tolentino.
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Leading the 22 athletes from nine sports are Tokyo silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, who are back along with fellow boxer and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial.
Then there’s world No. 2 pole vault ace EJ Obiena, two-time world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno and John Ceniza and swimmer Kayla Sanchez, all of them capable of reaching the medal podium.
Sanchez was a silver and bronze relay performer for Team Canada in the Tokyo Summer Games before bringing her act to the homeland of her parents.
Petecio and Paalam have been designated flagbearers during the opening ceremony at Seine River on July 26 while rower Joanie Delgaco and Yulo kick off the country’s bid in the women’s single sculls heats and men’s artistic gymnastics qualification on July 27.
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The POC arranged a training camp in Metz, a two-hour ride from Paris, a month prior to the Games with the first batch of Filipino athletes expected to enter the Olympic village as early as July 26.
“The morale is high among our athletes and we’re close to reaching the peak in training. Everybody’s in high spirits,’’ said Tolentino.
Boxers Hergie Bacyadan, Aira Villegas, lifter Elreen Ando, fencer Samantha Catantan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe are already accounted for in Metz.
Gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Jung-Ruivivar have checked in as well along with swimmer Jarod Hatch. Golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina will play in a tournament near Paris before coming over at the camp.
Hurdlers John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman are expected to arrive at the training camp funded by the Philippine Sports Commission after a week while Obiena opted to train in Normandy, France.