PH could be 20-strong in Paris Games
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino gave a quick overview of the nation’s projected makeup for the 2024 Paris Olympics and seems thrilled with the possible outcome.
“By the looks of it, we can have as many as 20 (qualifiers) in Paris, more than what we had in [the 2020] Tokyo (Olympics),’’ said Tolentino.
Reaching that figure for the campaign in the French capital will be the biggest since Team Philippines brought 20 athletes to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
And Tolentino has basis for that number.
“Apart from athletics and swimming, we have nine more sports that can qualify athletes to the Olympics,’’ said the Tagaytay City mayor and PhilCycling president.
These Filipino athletes could come from boxing, taekwondo, rowing, shooting, wrestling, cycling, judo, gymnastics and weightlifting.
Boxing’s Eumir Marcial, a Tokyo bronze medalist, already secured a spot while Tokyo Games silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam are hoping to clinch theirs in the first of two World Qualification Tournaments from Feb. 29 to March 12 in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
Hergie Bacyadan, the country’s first World Vovinam champion, again wore her boxing gloves and will try her luck in these qualifiers with the second world qualification meet set in Bangkok on May 23 to June 3.
If everything goes according to the forecast of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas, the first national sport association that won an Olympic gold medal, four of its athletes can make it to Paris.
Vanessa Sarno (women’s 71 kg), Rosegie Ramos (49 kg), John Febuar Ceniza (men’s 61kg) and Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo (59 kg) can already see a clear path to the Olympics with one more qualification meet remaining.
After the International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on April 2 to April 11, the top 10 for each weight class in the final rankings will win Games’ berths.
Apart from pole vaulter EJ Obiena, the first Filipino qualifier in this year’s Summer Games set July 26 to Aug. 11, other athletics bets in long jumper Janry Ubas, hurdlers John Cabang Tolentino, Robyn Brown, Lauren Hoffman and Eric Cray are likewise trying to get in.
Other bets
Gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan are assured of keeping Obiena company in Paris while a couple of gymnasts are bidding to join them, including Filipino-American Emma Malabuyo.
Swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Xiandi Chua are top female bets who could represent the nation while it’s a tossup between Jarod Hatch and Jerard Jacinto.They should meet the Olympic qualifying times in a World Aquatics-sanctioned race before the deadline a month prior to the Games.
Rowers Joanie Delgaco and Tokyo Olympic Cris Nievarez should place no lower than fifth in their events during the Asian and Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta on April 19 to April 21 in Chungju, South Korea, to make it.
Shooters Franchette Shayne Quiroz and Amparo Acuna are placing bets on their current Olympic rankings to snatch a spot as well as their luck in the 2024 International Shooting Sport Federation World Olympic Qualification in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, (April 11 to April 19) where the finalists progress to the quadrennial global Games.
Taekwondo’s Arven Alcantara, Tokyo Olympian Kurt Barbosa and their fellow jins have a lone shot in getting the job done, needing to advance to the gold-medal match of the Asian Qualification Tournament on March 15 to March16 in Tai’an, China.
Cyclist Patrick Coo, an Asian Games bronze medalist, is looking at the 2024 UCI BMX World Championships on May 12 to May 18 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States as his pathway to the Olympics along with the establishment of the UCI qualification ranking by June 4.
Filipino grapplers will try to qualify at the Asian Qualification Tournament (April in Kyrgyzstan) and the World Qualification Tournament (May in Turkiye).
