Tokyo games program must wait

MANILA, Philippines — Although the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics allows for 15 more months to prepare, national sports associations admitted they couldn’t really start plotting and implementing a re-adjusted program for the Olympians and aspirants until after the COVID-19 crisis is over.

“Our potential Olympians have to make adjustments in their training. We’ll discuss changes after the lockdown,” athletics president Philip Ella Juico told The STAR.

“Everything really depends on how this unsettling situation pans out. (It’s) very hard to make plans when everything hangs in the balance,” said boxing secretary general Ed Picson.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted virtually all activities worldwide, including sports. Countries have been forced to declare lockdowns and quarantines for an unspecified time, making training in gyms and sports complexes practically impossible.

With the longer buildup time for the July 24-Aug. 8, 2021 Olympiad as well as numerous yet-to-be-completed qualification tournaments, having the Philippine Sports Commission on board in the extended “Road to Tokyo “campaign is imperative

“We have to discuss with the PSC,” said Juico.

To date, the Philippines has four athletes who have officially qualified in Italy-based pole vaulter EJ Obiena, Japan-based gymnast Caloy Yulo, and Philippine-based boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno.

Several Filipino bets are still hunting for berths to Tokyo led by Rio Games silver medal-winning weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who is riding out the COVID-19 crisis in her training base in Malaysia.

Athletics hopes to qualify Olympian hurdler Eric Cray, sprinter Kristina Knott, and shot putter William Morrison while boxing looks to add the like of world champ Nesthy Petecio to the Philippine Olympic team.