Filipino Olympians take it easy, ‘chillax’

RIO DE JANEIRO – Members of Team Philippines used some time to shake  off jetlag Monday or 11 days before the XXXI Summer Olympics kicks off in this city urgently trying to put the finishing touches to its first hosting of the Games.

For the six athletes and  their coaches and other team officials, who all endured a tiresome 25-hour journey from Manila last Saturday, the head of the Philippine delegation, Jose Romasanta, did the next best thing, and gave everybody time to stretch.

Only Ian Lariba of table tennis, who was tasked to carry the Philippine flag in the Aug. 5 opener at the Maracana Stadium, went out to train under her South Korean coach, 1999 World Championships silver medalist Mi Sook Kwon.

“Light training lang,” said Lariba, 21.

The rest stayed indoors the entire morning, glued to their mobile devices and gadgets. Weightlifter Nestor Colonia spent time on a bean bag, playing his favorite video game, Warcraft. Most of the athletes stayed in their rooms after breakfast.

The coaches made the call to let their athletes rest.

And with nothing much on the drawing board, officials decided to give the athletes a tour of Rio de Janeiro’s most famous destinations. From the Athletes Village, after lunch, the delegation boarded two rented vans to see the Christ the Redeemer statue.

It took an hour for them to get there, from the wide city streets to the narrow zig-zagging mountain roads all the way up the base of the 30-meter statue that was built by the French in 1931.

To most members of the delegation, it was a site they’ve only seen in the movies and travel magazines. The Filipinos joined the crowd that came to worship the statue on a cool, bright day, taking selfies and group pictures of the Rio icon.

From there, they rode the cable car up and down Sugarloaf Mountain, another favorite destination for Rio de Janeiro visitors.

The delegation was back at the Athletes Village by dinner time. It was lights out at the Philippine quarters, located at Building 2 of perhaps the biggest Athletes Village anybody had ever seen, by 10 p.m.

The athletes, including long jumper Marestella Torres-Sunang, swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and taekwondo jin Kirstie Elaine Alora, should be in training or at least breaking sweat Tuesday.

Lariba will compete on Aug. 6, the day after the opening rites, just ahead of Lacuna, and boxers Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez who will also make their Olympic debut later in the day in different venues.

Track coach Joebert Delicano, also a long jumper in his days, allowed Sunang time to recover from jet lag. Her muscles were tight. He gave Sunang a rubdown in the morning.

Besides, Delicano said Sunang practiced hard and did like a dozen jumps the day prior to their departure in Manila.

“She still had jet lag. She had to stay out of the track at least for today. With another good sleep, her body should feel better tomorrow,” said Delicano.

Weighlifting coach Alfonsito Aldanete said Colonia and Diaz should break sweat Tuesday. The coach and the two weightlifters will no longer join the opening march because they are scheduled to compete on Aug. 7.

“Even if it’s two days after the opening ceremony, they have to skip the parade. It’s difficult for weightlifters to be spending a long time standing, especially during the parade, so close to a competition,” he said.

Ladon and Suarez are coming in from Las Vegas. Team official Ed Picson said they’re also contemplating on asking the boxers to skip the Olympic parade.

Golfer Miguel Tabuena is still in Thailand for a final tuneup tournament, the King’s Cup, and will arrive in Rio the day after the opening. The golf competition is on Aug. 11-14.