2021 or never for Tokyo

The same for top pinoy bets

MANILA, Philippines — It looks like it’s “2021 or never” for the Tokyo Olympics.

And for Team Philippines, it could mean either getting the best chance to strike for that elusive gold next year or starting all over again in the succeeding Paris Olympiad.

For Tokyo, the Filipino contingent is sending prospects who have made podium finishes in various world-level tournaments.

Gymnast Caloy Yulo, who won a historic gold medal in the floor exercise event of the world championships in 2019, leads the four-man Philippine Olympic Team so far.

He’s in the company of two boxers in Eumir Marcial, silver medalist in the 2019 AIBA world boxing meet, and lone lady qualifier Irish Magno, and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, the 2019 Asian kingpin.

Rio silver-winning weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz is expected to qualify once the qualification process resumes while several other prospects led by reigning world women’s boxing titlist Nesty Petecio are determined to make it, as well.

The 2021 Games could be the opportune time for the Pinoy Olympians, who would have an average age of 25.25 when Tokyo is slated to open in July 2021.

Pro-bound Marcial and Obiena would both be 25 by then, Magno 30 and Yulo 21. Diaz would be 30 and Petecio 29 if they qualify for the Games.

Based on their ages, Yulo looks to have the better shot at another Olympics should 2021 Tokyo be called off. He would be 24 by 2024.

On Saturday, the Agence France-Presse reported high-ranking Olympic official Pierre-Olivier Beckers made plain that the delayed Tokyo Olympics “will be held in 2021 or not at all.”

Beckers reiterated the stance put forward by Japan and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach that next year was the last chance to hold the Games postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Today everyone is sure that they will start on July 23, 2021,” he told Belgian newspaper L’Avenir.

“We are convinced that the Games will take place in 2021 or they won’t take place.

“It’s unthinkable to keep such a project on the go for any longer considering the enormous costs and all the thousands of people involved.”

Philippine sports officials had expressed hope for the Games to push through – even on a reported scaled down version.

“I’m fine with anything as long as there is an Olympic Games,” chef de mission Nonong Araneta told The STAR.

Beckers suggested it was “essential” that the traditional sporting calendar emerges from its COVID-19 lockdown before allowing major sporting events like the Olympics to be staged.

“All the sporting federations have to adapt to the Games’ postponement.

“We can’t envisage a similar upheaval a second time,” stressed the president of Belgium’s Olympic Committee.

According to Beckers a final decision on Tokyo “will be taken in the spring if questions (over the global health crisis) persist.”

He said he was optimistic over the staging of the Games, rejecting any notion that it would be held behind closed doors.

In March, Tokyo 2020 was postponed one year over the coronavirus, which has killed hundreds of thousands around the world.