After a thorough screening process, 61 athletes from 16 sports have been named as pioneer candidates of the Athletes Assistance (Atleta) program of the Philippine Sports Commission.
"These athletes have been endorsed by their respective national sports associations and have undergone strict evaluation. They represent the cream of the crop," PSC chairman Carlos Tuason said.
Tuason said the initial sports that will fall under the program are athletics, archery, billiards, boxing, bowling, cycling, fencing, golf, gymnastics, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, karatedo, lawn tennis and wushu.
He added these disciplines, most of them in the Olympics, were chosen based on the past record of Filipino athletes in the sport and future potential given sustained, systematic and long-term financial support that Atleta is expected to provide to the hopefuls.
According to commissioner Ricardo Garcia, Atleta project director, among the criteria used in culling the first batch of aspiring beneficiaries were their past feats and strong medal prospects in international competition.
Garcia said the program has been geared so participating athletes will be primed to emerge as likely gold medal contenders in either the 2002 Pusan Asian Games or the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The Atleta candidates are:
Athletics -- Lerma Balauitan, Eduardo Buenavista, John Lozada, Fidel Gallenero, Christabel Martes, Jimar Aing.
Archery -- Adelina Figueroa, Marvin Cordero, Christian Cubilla, Syd Nerickson Fraginal, Bryan Figueroa, Joy Marino.
Billiards -- Warren Kiamco, Marlon Manalo, Joven Alba, Lee Van Corteza, Benjamin Guevarra.
Bowling -- Maria Cecilia Yap, Paolo Valdez, Constantine Chester King, Liza Clutario, Josephine Canare, Lizabeth Angela Garcia.
Boxing -- Arlan Lerio, Larry Semillano, Romeo Brin, Junie Tizon.
Cycling -- Danzel Yaronan, Ronald Gorantes, Francis Mercado, Nilo Estayo.
Fencing -- Avelino Victorino Deliarte.
Gymnastics -- Pia Adelle Reyes, Phoebe Espiritu, Angelica Basco, Marianne Chavez, Roel Ramirez.
Judo -- John Bayon, Abraham Pulia, Aristotle Lucero, Gilbert Ramirez, Walbert Mendoza, Emerson Segui, Ramil Endriano.
Golf -- Artemio Murakami, JR Tampinco, Juvic Pagunsan, Jerome Noemi Esguerra, Nancy Quillotes.
Karatedo -- Ryan Bonifacio III, Cherli Tugday, Gretchen Malalad; Jhunnel Perana.
Shooting -- Rasheya Luis, May Concepcion, Patricio Bernardo, Carolino Gonzales, George Earnshaw, Joseph Tan Jr.
Swimming -- Ma. Liza Danila, Kathy Echiverri, Juan Carlo Piccio, Ralph Matthew Chua.
Taekwondo -- Donald David Geisler, Tshomlee Go, Kalindi Tamayo, Eufreshnee Catalan.
Lawn Tennis -- Johnny Arcilla, Rolando Ruel Jr., Maricris Fernandez, Czarina Mae Arevalo.