Carlos Yulo waves to the crowd during the Heroes parade after the Team Philippines’ arrival from the Paris Olympics 2024. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
The bonuses and honors bestowed on the country’s Olympians over the past two days gave rise to optimism that Team Philippines will be well-equipped to take on the challenges of doing even better in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
But there is much work to be done, among them the need to further boost sports that can be a medal-making machine for the country.
“Maybe gymnastics will be more prioritized now. We expect to gain more support for us [in gymnastics],” said gymnastics coach Allen Castañeda late Tuesday during a toast for the Olympians held at Newport World Resorts.
Castañeda guided Carlos Yulo in the recent Paris Olympics and the 24-year-old star made history by grabbing two gold medals for the country.
The Philippines also finished with two bronze medals courtesy of boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio. Villegas’ plight, according to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Wednesday, highlights the need to restructure the country’s sporting program.
“We should coordinate with athletes and sporting bodies on how we can further improve. Because even myself, I know the situation endured by my fellow Tacloban native Aira Villegas who became a medalist despite the lack of resources,” Romualdez said.
The country’s Olympians were the toast of the town on Wednesday, when a parade was held in their honor the day after they planed in from the Paris Games to a hero’s welcome.
Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella, whose wards did not make the podium in the French capital, also backed the need to focus on individual sports. “It’s obvious to the people now that if we want to win more medals in the Olympics, individual sports should be given more priority,’’ Puentevella told the Inquirer.
Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the country’s first gold medal in Olympic history when she ruled the women’s 55-kilogram class in Tokyo three years ago.
Giant posters
By winning the men’s floor exercises and vault, the diminutive Yulo tripled the country’s overall Olympic gold medal haul to three.
With his medals hanging proudly on his neck, a beaming Yulo flashed victory signs to the adoring crowd who waved Philippine flags and took selfies using the float, adorned with the five Olympic rings, as backdrop.
Giant posters bearing Yulo’s image hung from electric posts on the side of the streets.
“Our victory is the victory of the entire country,” Yulo said when he arrived along with the Philippine delegation Tuesday afternoon.
The parade officially started at 4:08 p.m. at Aliw Theater in Pasay City before making its way north to Manila.
Joining Yulo, Villegas and Petecio in the parade were track standouts Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando, and boxers Hergie Bacyadan, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial. —AFP, ROMMEL FUERTES JR., JUNE NAVARRO