TOKYO. – For Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, three times could be a charm.
Ramirez owns the distinction as the only chairman since the PSC’s establishment in 1990 to be at the helm of the sports agency in three Olympics — his first being Beijing in 2008, followed by Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and now, Tokyo 2020+1.
“I always sayOlympic success is more than just a year of preparation,” Ramirez said two days before he and Chief of Staff Marc Velasco fly to Tokyo via Philippine Airlines on Thursday.
“For some, it took three cycles. Experience is a good leverage,”Ramirez added.
Ramirez’s Olympic journey matches weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s Games sortie.
Then 18, Diaz made her Olympic debut in Beijing as a wild card in the women’s 58 kg class.
So young and so innocent then, she didn’t make the podium, not even close, but the pride of Zamboanga City gained much-needed experience.
London 2012 wasn’t also Diaz’s time but in 2016 in Rio she brought home a silver medal.
“I have the privilege of seeing Hidilyn grow from grassroots to Olympic medalist,” Ramirez said.
Diaz and 18 other Filipinos are competing in 11 sports here and Ramirez believes all of them have the potential to win the country’s first Olympic gold medal–or perhaps even more.
“This batch is strong. Not to discount previous batches kasi lagi ko sinasabi making it to the Olympics is a medal in itself, it is just that this delegation presents us a strong chance for a golden break” Ramirez explained.
Ramirez recalled how he felt when Diaz landed that silver in Rio.
“Everyone was ecstatic. Dinala ko siya kay Presidente at ang napakalinaw na bilin na tandang tanda ko — Butch, alagaan mo ang mga bata” Ramirez said.
