THE three Filipino athletes seeing action in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea is another breakthrough for Philippine sports, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“It’s really good to see that we’re improving,” Tolentino said during a break in the POC extraordinary general assembly yesterday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque.
The Philippines continued to defy norms by being one of a few tropical countries which qualify athletes for the Winter Olympics.
Competing in the Winter Youth Olympics set to open Friday in Gangwon are speed skater Peter Groseclose, freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe and cross-country skier Avery Balbanida.
The Philippines had two athletes at the Innsbruck 2012 edition–alpine skier Abel Tesfamariam and figure skater and two-time Winter Olympian Michael Martinez, and also two in Lausanne 2020–speed skater Julian Macaraeg and alpine skier Ana Noelle Wahleithner.
The Philippines did not participate in the 2016 Lillehammer, Norway Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Tolentino, Tagaytay City’s incumbent mayor who also heads the cycling federation, praised Southeast Asian nations Thailand and Singapore for also qualifying athletes for Gangwon where they will vie against Youth Olympians from 17 Asian and a total of 79 national Olympic committees.
“Southeast Asian athletes are improving in winter sports and we’re happy to be part of it,” Tolentino said. “It’s really a great honor for South Korea for being the first Asian country to host such a big event.”
