Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann, from the onset of his administration, has committed to enhance facilities for national athletes as well as PSC’s offices.
That has been his determined focus in the short weeks he has been at the helm of the PSC.
Over the weekend, the sports chief visited the PSC’s training camp in Baguio City and met national athletes from boxing, muaythai, and athletics.
“I can say that there are a lot of improvements to be done. We have a lot of work to do, but I know we will be able to accomplish it slowly but surely,” said Bachmann when he gave an update to the PSC workforce during the agency’s flag-raising ceremony this Monday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
The national boxing team, led by Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, Asian Games silver medalist Rogen Ladon, and SEA Games medalist Irish Magno had the chance to discuss their training and competition plans with Bachmann when the latter stayed to watch them train.
“Masaya po kami na mabisita ni Chairman Bachmann dito sa Baguio. Dagdag encouragement po ito sa amin na mapanood at ipakita kung paano talaga ang training ng isang atleta araw-araw,” said Paalam, who recently won gold at the 2022 ASBC Championships in Jordan.
The boxing team is currently housed in PSC Baguio where national athletes and coaches train to ensure that they are competition-ready coming to various international tournaments this year like the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, among others.
The sports agency chief concluded his Baguio visit by meeting with 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) medalists Islay Erika Bomogao (gold) and Rudzma Abubakar (bronze) from Muay, together with athletics’ 30th SEAG bronze medalist Joida Gagnao, and training pool athlete Daniel Delatado.
Aside from the training facilities in Baguio City, Bachmann has also visited other national teams in the past two weeks including windsurfers in Anilao, Batangas; the gymnastics squad in Intramuros, Manila; squash, soft tennis, table tennis, water polo and para-athletics teams during their training sessions at the RMSC in Manila and Philsports Complex in Pasig City.
