Philippine Olympic bets to train in bubble

MANILA, Philippines — Locally based Olympic-bound Filipino athletes and hopefuls will train in a “bubble” set up at either the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna or in the historic island of Corregidor.

The Philippine Sports Commission is eyeing both as potential venues when training resumes for athletes who have already qualified or have a chance of earning slots to the Summer Games.

“We’ve heard a lot of good things about Inspire and we will talk to the Sy family and maybe they could help our national athletes,” said PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez after Friday’s online dialogue with Tokyo-bound Caloy Yulo, EJ Obiena, Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno.

“We were also told about the proposal of Cynthia Carrion in holding the training in Corregidor Island and we’ll consider all possible options,” he added.

The Inspire is Inter-Agency Task Force-approved as it is currently hosting the Chooks-to-Go 3x3 Pilipinas League Prisident’s Cup until the end of this month while Corregidor emerged as a viable venue because of its non-existent to minimal COVID-19 cases.

The four-time PBA MVP said they are targeting next month or December as the tentative resumption of training.

Fernandez said they are now identifying the number of people they will allow inside the bubble.

Magno and her fellow boxers led by 2019 world women’s champion Nesthy Petecio, the taekwondo jins led by Kirstie Elaine Alora and Pauline Lopez and karatekas including Jamie Lim are among the athletes that will be part of the select group.