Athletes who qualified for the Olympics Games are expected to be at their best in the games slated from July 26 to August 11, 2024 in the French capital of Paris.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann said this with a week to go before action in the quadrennial meet commences.
“We just want to support our athletes so that they can focus on the training and we’ll take care of the rest,” said Bachmann.
Twenty-two Filipino athletes have made it to the Paris Games at the end of the qualification period.
And the government sports agency is supporting them 100 percent in their preparation, training and campaign.
“I don’t want to pick anyone whom we will support. We’ll just back them up 100 percent,” said Bachmann.
The PSC chief said his agency has allotted P52 million for the country’s Olympic campaign and there’s P8.9 million left.
And that’s from preparation and participation in the qualifying windows, and in the competition propers that they have joined, all the way to plane tickets, uniforms and gears.
“We will get more if needed. We already helped athletes who tried to qualify,” added Bachmann.
The athletes who have booked Paris tickets included five boxers in Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan and four gymnasts in Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo.
Also bound for Paris are pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando, rower Joanie Delgaco, and fencer Sam Catantan.
Those who got slots late were swimmers Jarrod Hatch and Kayla Sanchez, golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.
Hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino officially earned their berths to Paris at the close of the qualifying window for athletics last June 30.
The Philippines now has the most number of Olympic athletes at 22 since Barcelona 1992.
There were 26 Filipino athletes in Barcelona 1992 when the Olympics have yet to go strict in imposing qualifying standards.
A month ago, Bachmann announced that Paris-bound athletes will receive additional financial support, during a Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
Senator Risa Hontiveros pledged an initial P23 million, with Senator Bong Go and others contributing additional funds directly to the athletes. Bachmann confirmed signing checks totaling over P30 million.
The PSC chair emphasized that these funds will be distributed before the Paris Games.
This financial support comes on the heels of the Philippines’ success in the 2021 Tokyo Games. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz secured the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, while boxers Paalam, Petecio, and Marcial brought home two silver and one bronze medal, respectively.
The PSC has allocated a total of P52 million for the Paris Olympics, covering training, preparations, participation costs, airfare, luggage, and parade uniforms. Bachmann acknowledged that a portion of the budget has already been utilized, but with additional funding secured, he expressed confidence in meeting all necessary expenses.
