Free bikes now available for national athletes amid pandemic

FILE – Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino during the PSA Awards on March 7, 2020 at the Manila Hotel. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino announced on Monday that national athletes can now avail of free bicycles they can use for training.

“With the new normal, we have to find new ways to go about our daily businesses. Athletes who do not have a personal mode of transportation will surely benefit from this,” said Tolentino.

“Bicycling is not only a healthy way to get from one point to another, it also promotes social distancing, not to mention a means to avoid traffic,” added the Cavite representative.

Tolentino, who also heads PhilCycling, the country’s governing body in the sport, has sought the approval from the POC board to purchase 100 bicycles.

According to the POC Facebook account, national athletes can apply for a free bike on a first-come, first-served basis until May 31.

“We need to be innovative so the POC is looking for ways to allow our athletes to stay fit and ready for competition once the situation allows it,” said Tolentino.

“Obviously bicycling, whether they’ll be using it as a means of transportation or even for leisure, is a good way for our national athletes to stay in good physical condition,” added Tolentino.

Chief stakeholders in the sport recently called for the establishment of a cycling culture in communities to help the efforts of the government to make public transportation safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.