FIL-AM Patrick Coo tries to become the youngest member of Team Philippines when he vies for an Olympic slot in the International Cycling Union World Cup Round 4 Olympic qualifier in Bogota on May 30.
Coo, 19, will rendezvous in the Colombian capital with PhilCycling coaches Ednalyn Hualda and Frederick Farr on Tuesday, May 11, because all participants in the Olympic qualifier need to complete 14 days of quarantine.
“I am very much motivated and excited to go after that slot,” said Coo, the 2019 Asian BMX juniors’ champion, whose dad Benjamin hails from Iloilo and his mom Romalyn from Cagayan de Oro City.
Coo is set to race as the lone Philippine representative in Colombia because London 2012 Olympian Daniel Caluag couldn’t prepare for the qualifier due to his job as frontliner nurse in Kentucky. To qualify for Tokyo, Coo has to finish at least in fourth in Colombia.
“When Danny won, I was motivated to race for the Philippines,” said Coo, referring to Caluag winning the country’s only gold medal in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games that earned him the Athlete of the Year award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association. Coo was only 12 then.
“We are hoping for Patrick to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics not only because of his potentials to become a champion, but because of his passion and motivation–he trains endlessly,” said Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who also heads PhilCycling.
The Philippine Sports Commission is supporting Coo’s campaign, with Chairman William Ramirez hoping the BMX athlete could join weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Irish Magno in the July 23 to August 8 Olympics.
