Top hopes try to put Team PH in Paris Olympics medal board

The exhortation was clear as it was timely.

“I am incredibly proud of my fellow athletes and [c]hampions,” Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo posted on her social media account on Friday.

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“You all got this!” the country’s historic first Olympic champion added.

Diaz-Naranjo’s words couldn’t have come at a better time.

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On Saturday (Manila time), the cream of the Philippines’ medal-hunting crop will either gun for medals or try to push their podium bids even further.

Nesthy Petecio. Carlo Paalam. EJ Obiena. Carlos Yulo.

Two Olympic silver medalists. The second-best in the world in his sport. A two-time world champion. It doesn’t get any more powerful than that as far as the country’s drive for a gold is concerned.

Petecio will be done with her match long before the sun rises in Manila as she battled hometown bet Amina Zidani, the No. 3 seed in the women’s 57-kg class, for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Facing a French bet has become a cause for concern among members of Team Philippines, especially after local bet Wassila Lkhadiri pulled off a 4-1 decision on Friday over Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse in what seemed like a closer contest.

The Irish coaching staff slammed the result.

SCHEDULE: Team Philippines at Paris Olympics 2024

Lkhadiri’s next opponent is Aira Villegas, who shut out second-seeded Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria in the women’s 50kg division, in a battle for a guaranteed bronze.

“She left her body open a lot so that’s where I attacked,” Villegas said after the match at North Paris Arena. “It was like a hit-and-run [tactic] for me.”

Follow game plan

Paalam faces Australian fourth seed Charlie Senior in the quarterfinals of the men’s 57kg class, with a win securing the bronze and keeping the Cagayan de Oro native on track for a gold.

“I’ll just follow the strategy of my coaches and … I will have a big chance [of winning],” Paalam, who crushed Ireland’s Jude Gallagher in his opening bout, said. “There’s no time to relax because this is the Olympics.”

Obiena, meanwhile, debuts in the Games during the pole vault preliminaries, where the World No. 2 is a cinch to make the finals.

Officials have quelled fears of an injury Obiena hinted on in a lengthy social media post where he rued a less-than-perfect run in the last two weeks heading into the Olympiad.

Yulo, meanwhile, hopes to complete the cleanup work he vowed after a solid show during the all-around as he goes for a medal in the floor exercise.

“I lost [the handle on] my back handspring,” Yulo said on his floor exercise performance during the all-around final. “My takeoff was weak. I was in control with my landing, but not with my takeoff.”

“But I have an idea on what I have to do in the finals,” he added after finishing tied for the fifth-highest score in the floor exercise during the all-around finals.

Little victories

So far, Team Philippines has settled for little victories in the Olympiad. Fencer Sam Catantan won a wild card elimination match to enter the main draw of women’s foil. Rower Joanie Delgaco became the second-best Asian finisher in women’s single sculls after a respectable time of 7:43.83 at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. Swimmer Kayla Sanchez reset the Philippine record on her way to the 100 free semifinals.

Yulo could put the country on the medal table. Paalam could make sure another one will be logged pretty soon. Petecio and Obiena will try to stay on track for a podium.

And amid all that, an Olympic heroine will be rooting for them to repeat her feat.

“They’ll show the world what Filipinos are made of,” Diaz-Naranjo said.

Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024.

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