By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipino athletes gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics are in high spirits with a little more than a week left before the sports’ biggest spectacle unfolds in the French capital.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino made that assessment shortly after he left from the team’s training camp in Metz, France.
“Mataas ang morale ng mga atleta natin. Nasa peak na sila ng training. Lahat excited na,” said Tolentino in Tuesday’s PSA Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Almost all of the 22 qualified athletes were already in France as early as late last month, with golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, and hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang expected to complete the athletes’ delegation this week.
Boxers Eumir Marcial, Hergie Bacyadan and Carlo Paalam are training with other nations in Saarbrucken, Germany – a 30-minute ride from Metz — while the rest are using the facilities in Metz that POC has arranged.
Tolentino said some athletes like gymnastics and boxing are allowed to enter the Athlete’s Village as early as July 20, while the rest, like weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando, will enter a bit later depending on their competition schedule and would extend their training in Metz.
He also expressed gratitude to the Office of the President,which is giving an additional daily allowance of 100 euros per day for the athletes and coaches who started their training in Metz.
Tolentino is optimistic the country could surpass its previous showing in the previous edition held in Tokyo, Japan three years back where it won one gold, two silver and one bronze medal.
