By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Bubble training for Tokyo Olympic hopefuls and qualifiers for three combat sports begin Friday at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Among those who will first enter the camp are boxing coaches and their boxers mostly coming from Luzon and Mindanao.
They are Nesthy Petecio, Junmilardo Ogayre, Marjon Pianar, Carlo Paalam, Marvin Tabamo, John Paul Panuayan, Mario Fernandez, Aira Villegas, Analyn Cellon, and Josie Gabuco with coaches Elmer Pamisa, Nolito Velasco, Mitchelle Mertinez, Roel Velasco, Ronald Chavez, Jojen and Rogen Ladon.
Tokyo Olympics qualifier Irish Magno, who will come from Iloilo, will enter the bubble on Saturday with foreign coach Donald Abnett.
Athletes from Negros and Bago City namely Ian Clark Bautista, James Palicte, Jere Samuel Dela Cruz, Riza Pasuit and coach Reynaldo Galido will enter straight to the facility upon their scheduled arrival Monday.
Meanwhile, karatedo and taekwondo athletes will also enter the facility on Saturday and Sunday.
Karatedo athletes include Jamie Lim, Jason Macaalay, Ivan Agustin, Shrief Afif, Alwayn Batian with coaches Norman Montalvo and Junel Perania.
The Taekwondo jins are Kirstie Elaine Alora, Kurt Barbosa, Arven Alcantara, Joseph Chua, Samuel Morrison, Jessica Canabal, Laila Delo with coaches Carlos Padilla, Al Christian dela Cruz and Luis De Mesa.
All three teams will spend 90 days inside the facility training for upcoming Olympic qualifiers except for Magno, who has already booked a slot to the quadrennial sporting spectacle.
The Tokyo Olympics is set July 23 to Aug. 8.
