Early start key to success of future YOG bets–Go

NANJING—Philippine chef de mission Jonne Go believes developing the sporting talents of kids as young as seven or eight is a sure way of achieving Olympic success.

“To win an Olympic gold, we need to focus on the youth,” said Go during Thursday’s closing ceremony of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center main stadium here.

Go cited the case of 16-year-old archer Luis Gabriel Moreno, who began shooting arrows eight years ago. The high school junior at La Salle Green Hills won an Olympic gold medal in the mixed international team archery event with China’s Li Jiaman.

“Not all NSAs (national sports associations) can scout athletes who are 7 or 8 years old,” said Go, also a board member of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“But in Olympic events, you need to prepare them to qualify for the YOG by the time they are 15 or 16 years old,” added the president of the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation.

Aside from Moreno, artistic gymnast Ava Lorein Verdeflor also started out young at 6 and reaped dividends when the Dallas-based 15-year-old figured in the finals of the uneven bars (sixth overall) and all-around (11th).

“We need at least eight years to develop a successful athlete in a complete program,” said Go.

She also insisted that talents need not come from team events and that more attention should be given to individual athletes, citing the medal potentials from taekwondo, weightlifting, gymnastics, archery, boxing and rowing, among others.