A Filipino sports leader yesterday expressed the belief that the government should focus its support on athletes who have genuine chances of winning medals in the Olympics.
Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella said the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Games could produce four medals was the country is expected to parade world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, world No. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena, two-time Olympic medalist Kayla Sanchez and the trio of weightlifters led by Tokyo gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
Obiena was the first Filipino to qualify for Paris after hitting the qualifying mark of 5.82 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League last 2 August.
With President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. bypassing sports in his recent State of the Nation Address, Puentevella shrugged it off, noting that the Philippines only finished fifth in the recent 32nd Southeast Asian Games last May in Cambodia.
“Our best hope is at the Olympics. I hope individual sports will be given priority,” Puntevella, a former Bacolod City lawmaker, said at the post-SoNA coverage of the Daily Tribune.
“I don’t think it’s (SEA Games) worth mentioning. We only got fifth place. He knows the Olympics is the ultimate challenge.”
The next batch of Olympians will have a tough act to follow after the 1-2-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul in Tokyo back in 2021.
With the restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic lifted, Filipino athletes are now joining every competition possible overseas to gain some exposure and qualify for the Summer Games.
Still, Puentevella feels for the support to flow, the athletes need to finish at the podium.
“I guess we have to prove to the President and Filipino people that we can get more medals. When a sport wins a medal, people will say it will need support,” Puentevella said.
“That is why we need to concentrate on the individual Olympic sports,” he added.
