PH Team Working Hard in Preparation for the Olympic Games
Miggy Dumlao • July 20, 2021
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are finally upon us. After a year’s delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept across the world, the greatest athletes will compete to bring glory to their nations.
Some Philippine athletes and delegation members are now in Tokyo while the rest are going to arrive fairly soon in time for the start of the Olympics on July 23. Athletes must quarantine for a certain period as a measure to minimize risk of exposure.
Due to the aforementioned pandemic, Tokyo 2020 will be quite different from the events of the past as certain health and public safety measures will be practiced in order to minimize the risk of any delegation member from any country contracting Covid-19.
The preparations done by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) for the delegation going to Tokyo 2020 have been thorough and strict in order to comply with the Olympic Playbook put forward by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG).
It has been quite a challenge for the POC as the 19 athletes who will carry the Philippine flag in Tokyo train in different parts of the world. Examples for this are EJ Obiena training in Italy while Hidilyn Diaz trains in Malaysia among others. Only certain members of the delegation were training in the Philippines such as Jayson Valdez, Cris Nievarez, Elreen Ando, and Kurt Barbosa.
The main focus of the preparation for the Olympics from the POC has been informing delegation members comprehensively about requirements that they need to accomplish. Applications that need downloading as well as the required documents that members have to bring have been of paramount importance.
When it comes to vaccination, POC President Congressman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino ensured that most, if not all, athletes have been vaccinated by providing doses in the Philippines as well as coordinating with colleagues abroad wherever our athletes may be.
It has been a challenge as limited mobility severely restricts movement but the team has done all it can to provide our athletes the opportunity to compete to the fullest of their abilities while limiting risk of exposure to the Covid-19 virus.
Our athletes have been well prepared, not only in their training but also when it comes to knowing the dos and don’ts when it comes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bubble. All they need now is the nation’s support and backing and they will surely get the backing of the whole Philippine community.
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David Lappartient (left) and Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino (right)
Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino
RICKY VARGAS was named chef de mission to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Al Panlilio will handle the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made key appointments during its first General Assembly for the year on Wednesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City. Also appointed, according to POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino were Rep. Richard Gomez for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and Stephen Arapoc for the Chengdu 2025 World Games. “The objective is to prepare our teams—and athletes—in earnest for the international competitions, that’s why the chefs de mission were appointed,” Tolentino said. “If we prepare early, there will be no excuses.” Richard Lim of karate is chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin that starts February 7 to 14 while the a ched de mission has yet to be named for the Third Asian Youth Olympics Games from October 22 to 31 in Bahrain. Vargas is a former POC president and currently chairman of the boxing federation, Panlilio (basketball) and Gomez (modern pentathlon) are the incumbent first and second vice presidents, respectively, and Canlas (surfing) treasurer of the organization, while Arapoc heads the wushu association. The SEA Games will be played December 9 to 20 this year in Chonburi, Songkhla and Bangkok, and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are set February 6 to 22, Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from September 19 to October 4 in 2026. The Los Angeles Olympics are from July 14 to 30, 2028. Former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta was appointed as ethics committee chairman while Atty. Daniel Hofileña, a non-POC member, will head the arbitration committee. Tolentino said the POC General Assembly also approved the 2025 working budget of P35 million which is P8 million less than last year’s because of the Paris Olympics preparations and participation. Tolentino and his secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan also announced that the POC made a P15 million savings last year.
THE country is fielding a 20-athletes team to the ninth edition of the Asian Winter Games that China is hosting for the third time from February 7 to 14 in the winter resort city of Harbin. The mission? To start setting the stage for a first-ever Winter Olympics medal for the Philippines. “We’ve already accomplished the dream in the Summer Olympics—three gold medals in consecutive games,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on New Year’s Day Wednesday. “And that dream we want to also achieve in the Winter Olympics.” There are no available accurate records as to how many Filipino winter sports athletes competed in the first eight editions of the Asian Winter Games, but Tolentino believed the team to Harbin should be the biggest thus far. “And our athletes are competing in six of the 11 sports on the Harbin program,” Tolentino said. Curling, now one of the most-watched winter sports discipline, will have the most number of athletes in Harbin with 10 athletes— Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Christian Patrick Haller, Alan Beat Frei, Jessica Pfister, Benjo Delarmente, Kathleen Dubberstein, Leilani Dubberstein, Sheila Mariano and Anne Marie Bonache. The Curling Winter Sports of the Philippines was established late last year to organize the discipline’s ranks with the new group joining Philippine Skating Union and Philippine Ski and Snowboarding Association in the POC roster. The other members of Team Philippines managed by chef de mission Richard Lim are Paolo Borromeo, Aleksandr Korovin, Cathryn Limketkai, Isabella Marie Gamez and Sofia Lexi Jacqueline Frank in figure skating; Francis Ceccarelli and Talullah Proulx in Alpine skiing; Laetaz Amihan Rabe in freestyle skiing; Peter Joseph Groseclose in short track speed skating and Adrian Tongco in snowboarding Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won the Philippines’ first Summer Olympics gold medal in Tokyo 2020 and gymnast Carlos Yulo captured two gold medals in Paris 2024, both under Tolentino’s watch at the POC. “The Winter Olympics are as extremely tough as the Summer Olympics, but we have proven that it could be done,” Tolentino vowed. Italy will host the 25th edition of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 6 to 22 next year. Sixty-four events will be contested in Harbin, which was host in 1996, the second time after Changchun 2007 where China first organized the games. Japan has been the dominant team in the games, followed by China and Kazakhstan.
Cignal TV and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) are joining forces for the official launch of Isang Daang Taon Laban Para sa Bayan: Celebrating 100 Years of Filipino Excellence in the Olympics. The campaign will kick off the country’s campaign for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics where the Philippines is seeking to snare medals and achieve more glory in France. “Cignal TV has always believed in the skills and talent of the Filipino athlete and this partnership only reiterates our commitment to them. We want them to know that we’re with them every step of the way,” said Cignal TV and MediaQuest President & CEO Jane J. Basas. “We’re honored to have Cignal TV be our gracious partner for the Paris-bound athletes and this early, we have high hopes of another memorable showing in the Olympics,” said POC President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino. This isn’t just any other Olympics for the Philippines as this also marks 100 years of participation for the country in the quadrennial meet. Runner David Nepomuceno was the first Filipino to qualify for the Olympics, participating in the 1924 Paris Games. A century later, the country is banking on our proud representatives spearheaded by pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, and boxers Eumir Marcial and Nesthy Petecio as Team Philippines once again tests itself with the best athletes in the globe. From the buildup in their preparations and training, their respective campaigns, and the aftermath of their performance, Cignal TV will be there chronicling the journey of the Filipino athlete through our comprehensive news coverage which will be aired and featured on the various MediaQuest platforms, primarily on Cignal TV platforms including Free-to-Air and Pay TV, and on digital and social media through One Sports, One News, and News5. The Philippines is coming off a historic performance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where Hidilyn Diaz became the country’s first ever gold medalist, with Petecio also taking home silver, and Marcial and Carlo Paalam bagging bronze medals.
Ernest John "EJ" Obiena gave the whole nation hope as he claimed the first gold medal for the Philippines in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Obiena's remarkable journey unfolded at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, where he dazzled with a record-smashing performance in the pole vault finals. The anticipation was palpable as Obiena soared to an astonishing 5.75 meters, leaving his competitors in awe. Yet, he wasn't done there. In a breathtaking display, he shattered the Asian Games record of 5.7 meters and secured the gold with a spectacular 5.9-meter leap, igniting celebrations among Filipino supporters in the stands, including Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Bambol Tolentino, Chef de Mission Richard Gomez, and athletics' chief Terry Capistrano. In a heartwarming gesture, Obiena attempted to break his own Asian record of 6 meters, aiming to gift his coach, Vitaly Petrov, a fitting birthday present. Though he narrowly missed this feat, his outstanding achievement marked a historic moment for Philippine athletics. This victory was the Philippines' first gold medal in athletics in 37 years since Lydia de Vega's 100-meter triumph at the Seoul Asiad. It also represented the first athletics medal in 29 years, dating back to Elma Muros' bronze in the long jump at the 1994 Hiroshima Games. Obiena's remarkable journey has made him a superstar and a source of inspiration for his fellow athletes. His training partners, including China's Huang Bokai and Saudi Arabia's Hussain al Hizam, acknowledged his immense contributions to their progress and expressed their desire to challenge him in the future. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Bambol Tolentino summed up the nation's sentiments, stating, "EJ never ceases to amaze us." Obiena's extraordinary achievement in pole vaulting has left an indelible mark on Asian Games history, and his gold medal is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of an athlete who has truly reached the sky's limit.
Budget Woes Derail ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Leaves Athletes and Fans Disheartened Regrettably, ANOC has received unexpected and disheartening news regarding the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games, initially set to be hosted by the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI). The KOI has withdrawn its commitment to organize the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly, slated for August 2023. This sudden decision, delivered merely a month before the Games commenced, has left ANOC in a challenging position. With insufficient time to secure an alternate host, the unfortunate outcome is canceling this year's edition of the Games in Bali and the ANOC General Assembly. Future arrangements for the General Assembly, including new dates and locations, will be communicated as soon as available. ANOC sincerely apologizes to the affected NOCs, athletes, and International Federations (IFs) who had steadfastly supported the event. The organization also extends its regrets to fans across the globe. Despite the inherent challenges in the preparations for such a multifaceted event, ANOC had been continually assured by KOI that viable solutions were underway and that the Games would proceed according to plan. Regular coordination meetings between ANOC and KOI were held, with the most recent occurring just last week. KOI did not indicate any imminent issues that could lead to this outcome. In this unfortunate circumstance, ANOC's immediate focus lies in supporting the athletes and ensuring that the affected NOCs and IFs are appropriately compensated given the unforeseen cancellation of the Games. The original statement appeared here.
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Aira Villegas (left), Fr. Eugenio Lopez, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Carlos Yulo, and Nesthy Petecio
PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (third from left) with (from left) coaches Jessica Pfister and Miguel Gutierrez,, Marc Pfister, Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller and Curling Pilipinas playing president Benjo Delarmente.
Philippine men’s curling team celebrates after winning historic first ever Southeast Asia’s gold medal in winter games.
David Lappartient (left) and Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino (right)
Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino
RICKY VARGAS was named chef de mission to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Al Panlilio will handle the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made key appointments during its first General Assembly for the year on Wednesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City. Also appointed, according to POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino were Rep. Richard Gomez for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and Stephen Arapoc for the Chengdu 2025 World Games. “The objective is to prepare our teams—and athletes—in earnest for the international competitions, that’s why the chefs de mission were appointed,” Tolentino said. “If we prepare early, there will be no excuses.” Richard Lim of karate is chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin that starts February 7 to 14 while the a ched de mission has yet to be named for the Third Asian Youth Olympics Games from October 22 to 31 in Bahrain. Vargas is a former POC president and currently chairman of the boxing federation, Panlilio (basketball) and Gomez (modern pentathlon) are the incumbent first and second vice presidents, respectively, and Canlas (surfing) treasurer of the organization, while Arapoc heads the wushu association. The SEA Games will be played December 9 to 20 this year in Chonburi, Songkhla and Bangkok, and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are set February 6 to 22, Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from September 19 to October 4 in 2026. The Los Angeles Olympics are from July 14 to 30, 2028. Former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta was appointed as ethics committee chairman while Atty. Daniel Hofileña, a non-POC member, will head the arbitration committee. Tolentino said the POC General Assembly also approved the 2025 working budget of P35 million which is P8 million less than last year’s because of the Paris Olympics preparations and participation. Tolentino and his secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan also announced that the POC made a P15 million savings last year.
THE country is fielding a 20-athletes team to the ninth edition of the Asian Winter Games that China is hosting for the third time from February 7 to 14 in the winter resort city of Harbin. The mission? To start setting the stage for a first-ever Winter Olympics medal for the Philippines. “We’ve already accomplished the dream in the Summer Olympics—three gold medals in consecutive games,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on New Year’s Day Wednesday. “And that dream we want to also achieve in the Winter Olympics.” There are no available accurate records as to how many Filipino winter sports athletes competed in the first eight editions of the Asian Winter Games, but Tolentino believed the team to Harbin should be the biggest thus far. “And our athletes are competing in six of the 11 sports on the Harbin program,” Tolentino said. Curling, now one of the most-watched winter sports discipline, will have the most number of athletes in Harbin with 10 athletes— Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Christian Patrick Haller, Alan Beat Frei, Jessica Pfister, Benjo Delarmente, Kathleen Dubberstein, Leilani Dubberstein, Sheila Mariano and Anne Marie Bonache. The Curling Winter Sports of the Philippines was established late last year to organize the discipline’s ranks with the new group joining Philippine Skating Union and Philippine Ski and Snowboarding Association in the POC roster. The other members of Team Philippines managed by chef de mission Richard Lim are Paolo Borromeo, Aleksandr Korovin, Cathryn Limketkai, Isabella Marie Gamez and Sofia Lexi Jacqueline Frank in figure skating; Francis Ceccarelli and Talullah Proulx in Alpine skiing; Laetaz Amihan Rabe in freestyle skiing; Peter Joseph Groseclose in short track speed skating and Adrian Tongco in snowboarding Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won the Philippines’ first Summer Olympics gold medal in Tokyo 2020 and gymnast Carlos Yulo captured two gold medals in Paris 2024, both under Tolentino’s watch at the POC. “The Winter Olympics are as extremely tough as the Summer Olympics, but we have proven that it could be done,” Tolentino vowed. Italy will host the 25th edition of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 6 to 22 next year. Sixty-four events will be contested in Harbin, which was host in 1996, the second time after Changchun 2007 where China first organized the games. Japan has been the dominant team in the games, followed by China and Kazakhstan.
Cignal TV and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) are joining forces for the official launch of Isang Daang Taon Laban Para sa Bayan: Celebrating 100 Years of Filipino Excellence in the Olympics. The campaign will kick off the country’s campaign for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics where the Philippines is seeking to snare medals and achieve more glory in France. “Cignal TV has always believed in the skills and talent of the Filipino athlete and this partnership only reiterates our commitment to them. We want them to know that we’re with them every step of the way,” said Cignal TV and MediaQuest President & CEO Jane J. Basas. “We’re honored to have Cignal TV be our gracious partner for the Paris-bound athletes and this early, we have high hopes of another memorable showing in the Olympics,” said POC President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino. This isn’t just any other Olympics for the Philippines as this also marks 100 years of participation for the country in the quadrennial meet. Runner David Nepomuceno was the first Filipino to qualify for the Olympics, participating in the 1924 Paris Games. A century later, the country is banking on our proud representatives spearheaded by pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, and boxers Eumir Marcial and Nesthy Petecio as Team Philippines once again tests itself with the best athletes in the globe. From the buildup in their preparations and training, their respective campaigns, and the aftermath of their performance, Cignal TV will be there chronicling the journey of the Filipino athlete through our comprehensive news coverage which will be aired and featured on the various MediaQuest platforms, primarily on Cignal TV platforms including Free-to-Air and Pay TV, and on digital and social media through One Sports, One News, and News5. The Philippines is coming off a historic performance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where Hidilyn Diaz became the country’s first ever gold medalist, with Petecio also taking home silver, and Marcial and Carlo Paalam bagging bronze medals.
Ernest John "EJ" Obiena gave the whole nation hope as he claimed the first gold medal for the Philippines in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Obiena's remarkable journey unfolded at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, where he dazzled with a record-smashing performance in the pole vault finals. The anticipation was palpable as Obiena soared to an astonishing 5.75 meters, leaving his competitors in awe. Yet, he wasn't done there. In a breathtaking display, he shattered the Asian Games record of 5.7 meters and secured the gold with a spectacular 5.9-meter leap, igniting celebrations among Filipino supporters in the stands, including Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Bambol Tolentino, Chef de Mission Richard Gomez, and athletics' chief Terry Capistrano. In a heartwarming gesture, Obiena attempted to break his own Asian record of 6 meters, aiming to gift his coach, Vitaly Petrov, a fitting birthday present. Though he narrowly missed this feat, his outstanding achievement marked a historic moment for Philippine athletics. This victory was the Philippines' first gold medal in athletics in 37 years since Lydia de Vega's 100-meter triumph at the Seoul Asiad. It also represented the first athletics medal in 29 years, dating back to Elma Muros' bronze in the long jump at the 1994 Hiroshima Games. Obiena's remarkable journey has made him a superstar and a source of inspiration for his fellow athletes. His training partners, including China's Huang Bokai and Saudi Arabia's Hussain al Hizam, acknowledged his immense contributions to their progress and expressed their desire to challenge him in the future. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Bambol Tolentino summed up the nation's sentiments, stating, "EJ never ceases to amaze us." Obiena's extraordinary achievement in pole vaulting has left an indelible mark on Asian Games history, and his gold medal is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of an athlete who has truly reached the sky's limit.
