Philippines Olympic Committee aiming for another gold medal

Team Philippines at the Tokyo Olympics. ARCHIVES

Wharton Chan, secretary general of the Philippine Olympic Committe, said that after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines’ first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, he hopes more athletes will win gold at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics.

“We won our first gold medal at the last Olympics and we wish to have more success and more golds at the upcoming Paris Games,” Chan told reporters during a partnership announcement between the POC and Cignal TV on Thursday.

The POC is certainly pulling out all the stops to achieve its goal. In an unprecedented move, it announced it will send Filipino athletes to a month-long training camp in Metz, France. POC President Bambol Tolentino said the POC, in partnership with Cignal, has reached an agreement with La Moselle Department President Patrick Weiten for the use of sports facilities in Metz, including accommodation and meals for the Filipino qualifiers starting in June.

Tokyo 2020 women's 55kg weightlifting gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines. GETTY IMAGES
Tokyo 2020 women’s 55kg weightlifting gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines. GETTY IMAGES

“Everyone will leave after the send-off on 21 June and the following day, 22 June, they will go to the training camp a month ahead,” said Tolentino.

The training camp is part of the POC’s commitment to provide optimal conditions for the athletes’ preparation. Chan highlighted the rigorous evaluation process that went into the selection of Metz as the training venue.

“Before finalising the venue, we conducted extensive visits to the area to ensure that Metz offers suitable facilities for the various sports that the Filipino athletes will be involved in,” affirmed Chan.

The POC is also offering a house and land to its gold medallists, in addition to the usual cash incentives provided. Current Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz was the first to claim this prize, receiving a brand new two-storey house from the Olympic body. 

While the POC hasn’t commented on additional incentives for other medallists, 2021 Olympic silver medallists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medallist Eumir Marcial have also received a house and lot.

So far, the Philippines has secured nine qualifiers for Paris — including pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan, boxers Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Marcial, and Aira Villegas, and weightlifters John Febuar Ceniza, Elreen Ando, and Vanessa Sarno – with more athletes expected to join the Team Philippines after upcoming qualifying.



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