The nation will extend a warm and rousing welcome to the contingent of 22 Filipino athletes who took part in the Paris Olympics.
We know they all tried their best to win medals and bring honor and prestige to the country simply by being there amid the expected stiff competition from outstanding athletes from other nations across the globe.
Our athletes brought home two golds and two bronzes in the much-awaited sports spectacle.
But while our medal output in this Olympiad could have been far bigger, we also know that athletes from other countries also adequately prepared for this and were just as focused on winning the coveted medals in this premier sportsfest.
The challenge now is for every Filipino athlete who wants to excel in future Olympics to strive to improve the skills through rigorous training and participation in local and international competitions so each one can meet the high standards set by the International Olympic Committee in each sports category.
It is understandable the focus of our attention would be on 24-year-old gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo who won two gold medals in the vault and floor exercises.
It’s an awesome achievement as we know that he trained really hard for this and that he can further hone his skills after his first Olympics stint in Tokyo in 2022.
We congratulate Yulo for this singular feat and hope he can achieve greater heights in his sporting career in the years ahead.
Two of our women boxers, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, meanwhile, managed to enter the quarterfinals and win bronze medals. We wish them well in their quest for excellence in their chosen sport. Perhaps in the next Olympics?
EJ Obiena, considered the world’s No. 2 pole vault athlete, may have faltered in his bid to win a medal, but nonetheless managed to land in fourth place.
He has vowed to do better in the next edition of the Olympics four years from now. He deserves our full support as well in his Olympic dream.
Two women golfers, Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, may not have won any medal this time around.
But sports analysts believe their exceptional performance in Paris amid a field of A-list women golfers showed they can very well win medals in future Olympics.
Our first-ever gold medal in the Olympics was won by weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the 2022 Tokyo Olympics. She paved the way for Yulo to excel in gymnastics not only once, but twice, and, who knows, perhaps even more in the next Olympiad.
We pay tribute as well to the sports officials, coaches, trainers, and generous benefactors from the public and private sector who supported the training of our athletes and encouraged them to excel in their chosen sport.
But after all is said and done, we need to acknowledge as well the support of the entire nation for our athletes.
After more than a century of participation in the quadrennial games, our athletes should always be guided by the Olympic motto of “Stronger, Higher, Faster” and begin to prepare for the future.
Onward to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028!
