PSA Forum: PSC’s focus shifts to Olympic qualifiers

 

By WAYLON GALVEZ

After spending more than P1.3 billion on the training of athletes for the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Sports Commission now shifts its focus on Olympic Qualifying Tournaments leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Philippine Sports Institute national training director Marc Velasco of the Philippine Sports Commission said the government sports agency would now be directing its attention to helping Filipino athletes secure berths to the Olympics.

“Next year we’ll recalibrate on Olympic sports,” said Velasco in yesterday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel in Manila. “That’s where the PSC would focus its energy and resources.”

Velasco said the PSC has already coordinated with Tokyo Olympics chef de mission Nonong Araneta on sports and athletes to be prioritized for various qualifying tournaments.

“We’ll study it together with the POC to really see the qualification of Olympic sports. Like if you’re rated No. 200 and then only the top five lang pala naman ang kukunin from the qualifiers,” he said.

“We’ll do an evaluation on sports if feasible. We have to have a target on what sports… there’s a difference between trying to qualify, and trying to get an exposure. If we have a sport or athlete na nasa top eight na, we’ll definitely put our resources there.”

So far, only two Filipino athletes have earned Tokyo Olympic slots – gymnastics world champion Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, while a number will see action starting January in OQTs, including weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.

The efforts of the PSC – led by its chairman Butch Ramirez – to allow Filipino athletes to train abroad and compete in various international events prior to the SEA Games helped the Philippines win overall championship for the first time in 14 years in the biennial meet.

The national team captured a total of 149 gold medals to go with 117 silvers and 121 bronzes in the SEA Games.

Velasco is confident the success in the SEA Games would continue in these qualifying tournaments all the way to the Tokyo Olympics as Filipino athletes try to win that elusive first gold medal.

He pointed out that in 2005 when the country also hosted and won the overall championship in the regional meet, the Olympics in Beijing was – at that time – three years away.

“This year it’s a different environment,” said Velasco, referring to the timing between the SEA Games and the Tokyo Olympics.

“I firmly believe that we’ll be able to carry the effort and the energy of the Philippines’ campaign in the SEA Games to the Olympics. The whole country is still excited and we are still very high because of the success.”

“I think that will continue, the support of the Filipinos, as our athletes compete in the Tokyo Olympics,” added Velasco.

Source: Manila Bulletin