GOLFER Bianca Pagdangan is a virtual shoo-in to make it to the Paris Olympic Games, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president and Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“We talked to officials of the International Golf Federation and they virtually assured us that Bianca can make it to Paris,” said Tolentino yesterday during the media launch announcing the POC’s renewed partnership with Cignal as the covering station of the Philippine athletics contingent to the Olympics.
A veteran of the Tokyo Olympiad in 2021, Pagdanganan is currently ranked No. 38 in the latest IGF Olympic women’s ratings, well within the top 60 golfers who can punch tickets to the French capital on the official cut-off date on June 24.
Joining the POC chief in the launch were POC Secretary General Atty. Wharton Chan, Cignal TV and Mediaquest president and chief executive officer Jane Basas and Cignal TV channels and content management executive vice president Sienna Olaso.
To motivate the Olympic-bound athletes to excel, Tolentino hinted that Pinoy medalists in the Paris Games could receive a house and lot in Tagaytay, similar to what he did to the country’s podium finishers in the last quadrennial meet.
“If I was able to do it then, I see no reason why I can’t do it again,” said Tolentino, who gave rewards to Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidylin Diaz-Naranjo, silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial.
He reiterated his previous announcement that the Philippine Olympic contingent will leave for Metz, France on June 22 for a one-month training camp before the Olympics unfold on July 26.
“This is one way our athletes can adjust and acclimatize right away to the conditions in France, including overcoming the jet lag, since the Philippines is six hours ahead,” Chan explained.
Basas assured local fans that the Filipino campaigners in the country’s centennial jubilee participation in the Summer Games will get the coverage they deserve.
“We will be there when it happens and are committed to giving comprehensive coverage to our athletes in all of our platforms, including our free channels on RPTV and One Sports,” she said.
Olaso disclosed that the network is not only planning to send field reporters to France but also coming up with a 13-part documentary marking a century of Philippine participation in the quadrennial global sports spectacle.
