PSC chairman Ramirez wishes Filipino Olympic hopefuls the best of luck

CEBU, Philippines —  Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez wishes the Filipino Olympic hopefuls and their coaches the best of luck as they start their much delayed physical training in bubble set up at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

“We wish our athletes who are training in Calamba good luck, the hope of the country is now on your shoulders,” Ramirez said in a report by Joey Villar of The Philippine Star.

Among those who will train at the so-called ‘Calambubble’ in a bid to secure slots for the pandemic-disrupted Tokyo Games slated on July 23 to August 8 are boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Marvin Tabamo, John Paul Panuayan, Mario Fernandez, Aira Villegas, Ian Clark Bautista, James Palicte, Jere Samuel dela Cruz, and Riza Pasuit.

They will be joined by karate bets Jamie Lim, Jason Ramil Macaalay, Ivan Agustin, Shrief Afif and Alwayn Batican, and taekwondo jins Kristie Elaine Alora, Kurt Barbosa, Samuel Morrison, Arven Alcantara, Joseph Chua, Babie Jessica Canabal and Laila Delo.

Boxer Irish Magno will also be with them in the three-month training that cost the government around P15 million.

Magno is one of the only four Filipinos who have qualified so far for the prestigious event that will happen only once in four years. The others are pro boxer Eumir Marcial, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, and gymnast Carlos Yulo.

Cebuana skateboard sensation Margielyn Didal and champion lifter Hidilyn Diaz lifter have also high chances of making it to the quadrennial summer games.

They are all the country’s brightest hopes to deliver that elusive Olympic gold medal that the entire Filipino nation had long been dreaming of.