Major breakthroughs on the international stage made the country proud in 2023 and with the Paris Olympics just around the corner, the Philippines stares at a tough yet 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 (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told RP2 Sports Radio’s Headline Sports in his first live interview in the new year early 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 at the Hangzhou Asian Games and Cambodia Southeast Asian Games and a historic men’s pole vault silver at the world championships.
The national men’s basketball team also ranked high on Tolentino’s list following Gilas Pilipinas’s gold medal 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.”
Successful was 2023, this year will be a 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 with at least three more qualifiers. Tolentino said he’s looking to at least match the 19 athletes in Tokyo.
“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 to surpass Hidlyn Diaz-Naranjo’s weightlifting gold medal, Nesty Petecio and Carlo Paalam’s boxing silver and Marcial’s bronze at the Tokyo Games.
“We’re not only the country preparing for Paris, everybody else is preparing hard for the Olympics,” Tolentino told veteran host Judith Caringal. “We need all the support—moral, financial, among others.”
Tolentino also stressed in the program 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 were:
– The International Olympic Committee will bare its decision on allowing boxing icon and former Senator Manny Pacquiao to compete in Paris by March,
– Construction starts early this year for the country’s first indoor International Cycling Union-certified velodrome in Tagaytay City,
– POC Golf Cup Legislators Edition on March 13, and
– Ratification of the POC’s amended charter.
