MAJOR breakthroughs on the international stage made the country proud in 2023 and with the Paris Olympics just around the corner, the Philippines is staring at a tough but achievable challenge in 2024.
“From a scale of 1 to 10, I give Filipino athletes a high mark of 8.5 to 9 for 2023,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told RP2 Sports Radio’s Headline Sports in his first live interview earlier this week.
“Yes, I’m very much contented–after breaking those records and bringing back the glory–all of those accomplishments were hard-earned, both by the athlete and their coaches and the stakeholders,” Tolentino said.
Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, the first Filipino to qualify for Paris, shone brightest in 2023 with his record-breaking performances in the Hangzhou Asian Games and Cambodia Southeast Asian Games and a historic men’s pole vault silver in the world championships.
The national men’s basketball team also ranked high on Tolentino’s list following Gilas Pilipinas’ gold medal win in Hangzhou, the first for the country since the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta.
“But all these gold medals, these achievements, belong to all of us, all Filipinos, all of those who prayed hard,” he said. “It was all about the athletes’ and Team Philippines’ dedication, motivation and inspiration.”
He said the country faces another tough challenge with the Paris Olympics just around the corner.
“This will be a tough year for us, Paris is just around the corner,” he said. “And before we get there, there are tough competitions for our athletes to qualify.”
Four Filipinos have so far qualified for Paris–Obiena, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist boxer Eumir Felix Marcial and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.
With athletics and aquatics offering universality slots, the country is guaranteed at least three more qualifiers. Tolentino said he’s looking to at least match the 19 Pinoy athletes who qualified for the Tokyo Games in 2021.
“It will be very good if we again have 19 Olympians, but if we don’t have those numbers, the focus will be on the podium. Hopefully, we haul more in Paris,” he said.
Paris marks the centennial of Philippine participation in the Olympics and Tolentino is praying Pinoy athletes would surpass Hidlyn Diaz-Naranjo’s weightlifting gold medal, Nesty Petecio and Carlo Paalam’s boxing silver and Marcial’s bronze in Tokyo.
“We’re not the only country preparing for Paris, everybody else is preparing hard for the Olympics,” Tolentino said. “We need all the support–moral, financial, among others.”
Tolentino also said that three Filipino athletes are competing in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games scheduled from January 19 to February 1 in Gangwon, South Korea.
They are Peter Joseph Groseclose, 16 (speed skating short track); Avery Uriel Balbanida, 14 (skiing, cross-country); and Laetaz Amihan Rabe, 14 (freeski slope style and freeski big air).
“I’m proud to announce their qualification and participation in Gangwon,” Tolentino said. “We Filipinos have defied limitations and embraced the challenges of competing in winter sports through the years. We’re living in a tropical country, but our spirit simply knows no boundaries.”
Also discussed by Tolentino in the 45-minute live interview was the International Olympic Committee’s decision on whether boxing icon and former Senator Manny Pacquiao can compete in Paris by March.
He said construction starts early this year for the country’s first indoor International Cycling Union-certified velodrome in Tagaytay City, the POC Golf Cup Legislators Edition on March 13, and the ratification of the POC’s amended charter.
