POC shifts focus on 2024 campaign with Paris Olympics ahead

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is gearing up for a tougher campaign in 2024, following a banner campaign last year which saw the country get major breakthroughs from the likes of EJ Obiena, Gilas Pilipinas, and Filipinas.

Obiena was nothing short of dominant in the pole vault scene, seizing the gold medals in Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games and a silver in the World Championships, while reaching the 6-meter mark all in a span of a year.

Gilas Pilipinas, meanwhile, reclaimed the SEA Games gold medal and ended the country's 61-year title drought in the Asian Games before putting a fight in the FIBA World Cup.

The Filipinas, the Philippine women's football team, staged a gallant stand in the FIFA World Cup with Sarina Bolden scoring the first-ever goal at the world tourney against co-host New Zealand.

POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino lauded the Filipino athletes for delivering yet another banner year for the country, but said they are shifting their focus on their 2024 campaign, which will be highlighted by the 2024 Paris Olympics seven months from now.

“Yes, I’m very much contented—after breaking those records and bringing back the glory—all of those accomplishments were hard-earned, both by the athlete and their coaches and the stakeholders,” Tolentino said.

“This will be a tough year for us, Paris is just around the corner. And before we get there, there are tough competitions for our athletes to qualify.”

So far, four Filipino bets have already punched their tickets to the Summer Games with Obiena, boxer Eumir Marcial, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan. Tolentino said they are looking at at least 15 more athletes to qualify, matching the delegation the country had during the previous edition in Tokyo.

Back in the 2020 Summer Games, the Philippines bagged more than one medal for the first time since 1932 as weightlifting ace Hidilyn Diaz copped the gold medal in the women's 55-kg division while boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam secured silver. Another boxing champion in Eumir Marcial snared a bronze medal to make it a four-medal haul for the Philippines.

“It will be very good if we again have 19 Olympians, but if we don’t have those numbers, the focus will be on the podium. Hopefully, we haul more in Paris," added Tolentino.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News