PARIS (Via PLDT Home) – Collecting pins given out by participating countries is one of the exciting parts of the Olympics.
Celebrating the Philippines’ centenary of participation in the Olympic Games, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) came up with a special pin commemorating the historic moment for the country as it looks back to its Olympic Games debut in Paris in 1924.
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino personally designed the pins which were custom manufactured in Tagaytay, the city which he leads as mayor, to celebrate the country’s centennial participation in the Olympics.
“This milestone, coinciding with the 2024 Olympics and the 1924 Olympiad centennial in Paris, reflects our enduring legacy in sports and national pride. Let’s remember the trailblazers like David Nepomuceno and Coach Regino Ylanan, whose dedication and achievements inspire us to strive for excellence.”
David Nepomuceno was a world-class sprinter and the Philippines’ sole representative at the 1924 Paris Olympics, competing in the men’s 100m and 200m events.
Regino Ylanan was a Filipino athlete, physician, sports administrator, physical educator, and sports historian. He gained fame with three gold medals in track and field at the 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games in Manila, an event that laid the foundations for the modern-day Asian Games.
“This year marks a historic milestone – our centennial anniversary of competing in the Summer Olympics. We’re incredibly proud to be among Asia’s first and Southeast Asia’s trailblazing Olympians.
“Let’s use this ‘Philippine Olympics 100 Years’ as a springboard for future success. We are ‘Proudly Pinoy’ with a strong Olympic legacy. Let’s continue the journey together towards POC in Paris!”
The Philippines has sent 22 athletes to Paris, aiming to improve its 1 gold-2 silver-1 bronze finish in Tokyo 2020.
