On centennial of PH Olympic stint, POC sets sights on gold

There is only one appropriate way to celebrate the country’s 100 years of participation in the Summer Olympics—and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) of Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo’s gold medal three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Hidilyn won the first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, and that’s historic. But what about a more historic Olympic centennial campaign?” said POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

POC hopes to win at least one gold medal to celebrate one year as a country.

“This is the century of Filipino athletes’ campaign in the Olympics,” Tolentino said. The head of the POC is in France to complete the country’s tasks at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Also in Paris, the country joined the quadrennial meet for the first time, with sprinter David Nepomuceno racing in the 100m and 200m events. He was the nation’s sole representative when the Philippines made its debut in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

With Diaz-Naranjo’s gold in the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting class in Tokyo and two silver medals by boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, Team Philippines now has a total of one gold, five silver and eight bronze in Olympic history.

In Paris next year, the POC hopes to increase that number.

“Our target is to win one gold medal. It would certainly be a blessing to be able to do more,” Tolentino said. INQ

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