The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is throwing its full support behind the country’s quest in the third Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that will be hosted by Buenos Aires in Argentina next year.
Dragonboat chief Jonne Go, appointed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) as chief of mission to the Oct. 6-18 YOG in 2018, said yesterday that the government agency is urging her to send as many qualifiers as possible.
“The PSC was even a bit disappointed that when the last YOG was held (in Nanjing, China in 2014), there were only seven athletes,” said Go, who also serves as POC auditor.
Go and PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez have already met and Go has vowed to reach out to various NSAs in the hopes of finding promising athletes.
The YOG in Argentina will feature 241 events in 32 sports.
The last time in Nanjing, archer Luis Gabriel Moreno brought home a gold medal.
Only athletes between 14 years old and 18 are allowed to take part in the YOG, said Go.
So far, the Philippines has one qualified athlete in archer Nicole Marie Tagle and Go is on a mission to discover more in line with the PSC’s main focus on grassroots development.
Go said that NSAs concerned have been informed about the YOG and they should contact their mother federations to determine the qualifying events.
“I’ve already discussed this with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and they’re working on it,” said Go, adding that competitions in basketball will be in 3-0n-3.