By Mark Angelo Mañez
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| PHOTO: The Nation |
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Sports commissioner Ramon
Fernandez remained firm on his prediction that at least 15 Filipino athletes
will qualify to this year’s Tokyo Olympics where they will have a chance to
deliver the country’s very first gold medal there.
“I think in reality, we will have more than four athletes
who will qualify to Tokyo, we’re looking at a minimum of 15,” said Fernandez
during an interview at Power & Play hosted by Noli Eala over the weekend.
Apart from gymnast Caloy Yulo, pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and
pugs Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno, the four-time PBA MVP is looking at a
couple of more boxers, including Nesthy Petecio, golfers Yuka Saso and Bianca
Pagdanganan and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, as among those who will make the cut.
Also with strong chances of making the cut are 2016
weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, two
or three karatekas including Junna Tsukii and Jamie Lim, one or two taekwondo
jins including Pauline Lopez.
Track and field’s Kristina Knott, Eric Cray and William
Morrison, who are all based in the United States, are also in the hunt as well
as in swimming, which will have at least two wild card entries.
Wrestling, canoe-kayak and surfing are also looking at
qualify athletes to the quadrennial summer games.
Out of this batch, PSC chairman William Ramirez and Abraham
Tolentino have high hopes the country could snare two golds in Tokyo.
As this developed, Fernandez said Olympic hopefuls in
taekwondo, karate and boxing will start its bubble training at the Inspire
Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Fernandez said the government’s sports-funding agency have
earmarked P15 million for the “Calambubble” alone and he expects more of that
kind in other sports particularly those preparing for this year’s Southeast
Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam to happen soon.
“It’s good for three months,” said Fernandez.
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