Making Olympic history

TOKYO – In yesterday’s column, we listed four reasons why the Philippines made Olympic history here this year – POC-PSC chemistry, coaching, international exposure and government budget. Here are six more reasons.

• Youthful energy. The Philippine delegation of 19 athletes averaged 25.1 years old with gymnast Caloy Yulo, 21, the youngest and golfer Juvic Pagunsan, 43, the oldest. In the 25-and-below bracket were golfer Yuka Saso, 20, Yulo, rower Cris Nievarez, 21, skateboarder Margie Didal, 22, weightlifter Elreen Ando, 22, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, 22, boxer Carlo Paalam, 23, golfer Bianca Pagdanganan, 23, swimmer Remedy Rule, 24, swimmer Luke Gebbie, 24, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, 24, shooter Jayson Valdez, 25, boxer Eumir Marcial, 25, runner Kristina Knott, 25 and pole vaulter E. J. Obiena, 25. Of the 19, 15 were 25 and below or close to 80 percent. Except for Hidilyn Diaz, every competitor was an Olympic rookie. Imagine how the athletes will improve with Olympic experience under their belt. In 24 months, PATAFA secretary-general Terry Capistrano said tickets will start to be sold for the 2024 Paris Olympics – that’s how close the next Games are and a more seasoned Philippine brigade will be back to bring more glory to the country. POC president Rep. Bambol Tolentino said the battle cry for Paris is not to equal Tokyo but to surpass it.

• More qualifiers in diverse sports. In 22 Olympic appearances, the most number of sports that the Philippines participated in was 11 – registered in 1988 and this year. The delegation was made up of 19 athletes in Tokyo, the most since 20 represented the country in 2000, with four from boxing, three from golf, two each from swimming, athletics and weightlifting and one each from rowing, taekwondo, gymnastics, judo, skateboarding and shooting. In the previous four Olympics, the Philippines averaged 13.75 athletes and 7.5 sports.

• Weight classifications. It’s no secret that Southeast Asian neighbor Thailand has focused on weight-classified sports to even the playing field in the Olympics. Thailand has won 35 medals so far, 14 in weightlifting, 15 in boxing and six in taekwondo – all sports that are weight-classified. The golds came from boxing (four), women’s weightlifting (five) and taekwondo (one). This year, the Philippines won its four Olympic medals in weight-classified sports – gold in women’s weightlifting and two silvers and bronze in boxing. Judo, karate, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling, rowing and boxing are Olympic sports where there are weight classes. Financing athletes in weight-classified sports is a cost-efficient approach to maximize potential to win medals.

• Private sector support. While government funding is critical, support from the private sector is as crucial. ICTSI has long supported the country’s top golfers. The MVP Sports Foundation pours out millions to back athletes in different sports. San Miguel Corp. is another private conglomerate that supports sports. Phoenix Petroleum, Megaworld, Chooks To Go, Philippine Airlines, Air Asia and Max Fried Chicken are among other private corporations putting their resources into sports. Filipino athletes use their allowances to support their families and it’s never enough to take care of essentials. The partnership of the public and private sectors to support the country’s sports programs is key to sustain the progress that was evident in this year’s Olympics.

• Unity in spirit. No question, the athletes’ support system played a big role in the Philippines making history in this year’s Olympics. POC and PSC joined hands in attending to every athlete’s needs. Take, for instance, the athletics delegation of nine. When their Olympic Village floor was compromised by someone who tested positive, there was no hesitation to bring them to the Conrad Hotel where most of the Philippine officials and media were billeted. The cost didn’t matter. The important consideration was the safety of the athletes and their coaches. From a team standpoint, there was a bond that brought the 19 athletes together. They cheered for each other, they looked out for each other, they had each other’s back. As Olympians, they lived the spirit of the Games and performed to the best of their ability to bring honor to the country.

• Momentum of the SEA Games. ABAP president Ricky Vargas said the influence of Tolentino’s “Midas” touch was pervasive in the Olympics. Tolentino said the momentum created by the Philippines’ overall championship in the SEA Games two years ago was the impetus that drove the Filipino athletes to excel here. The Philippines hosted the 2019 SEA Games where a record 56 sports were in the calendar and bagged 149 gold medals, including 70 in Olympic events. Clearly, Philippine sports is on the right track.