By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
National athletes will have their hands full this year as they are competing in a number of elite tournaments amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foremost is the Tokyo Olympics, which was reset from last year to July 23 to Aug. 8.
So far, only four Filipinos – pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Irish Magno and Eumir Marcial — have earned berths to the grandest sports event in the world.
The Philippine Sports Commission is optimistic that the number of Filipino athletes vying in the quadrennial meet would increase following the rescheduled Olympic qualifiers.
The country will compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 in Vietnam. Forty sports have been initially lined up for the biennial meet but more changes would take place over the course of preparations.
The country is the defending SEAG overall champion after collecting 149 golds, 117 silvers, and 121 bronze medals in 56 sports in 2019.
Filipino athletes will also battle for glory in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games from May 31 to 30 in Thailand. They are seeking to eclipse their previous medal haul at the 2017 Turkmenistan edition of two golds courtesy of jiu jitsu fighters Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, as well as 14 silver and 14 bronze medals.
Filipino athletes will also test their mettle in the 4th Asian Youth Games in Indonesia from Nov. 20 to 28 and several Olympic qualifications.
Among the notable qualifications are the world qualifiers for boxing in Paris in June where three to five Olympic slots depending on the weight division are at stake.
The Asian qualification for taekwondo will be staged in a still undetermined date in Amman, Jordan. Two Olympic tickets per weight division are up for grabs.
The FIBA 3×3 Olympic qualifier has been reset to May in Austria.
