INCENTIVES from the Philippine Sports Commission await Pauline Louise Lopez and Kirstie Elaine Alora, the only Filipino taekwondo jin headed to the coming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Alora and Lopez came up with podium finishes at the recent Asian Qualifying Tournament in Pasay City.
Alora stands to receive P250,000 under Republic Act No. 10699, which is National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits Acts of 2001.
Alora placed second in a field of five competitors in the Seniors’ Female A +67kg category.
In earning the silver and an Olympic qualifying berth, she got past Nepal’s Nisha Rawal and top-seeded Akram Khodabandeh of Iran.
Then, she fell short of the gold after bowing to Taipei’s Huai Hsuan Huang.
In the -57kg, division, Lopez almost came close to an Olympic berth, but only managed a second runner-up finish after losing out to Thailand’s Phannapa Harnsujin.
After that, she went on to become the country’s first and only gold medal in the event as she beat South Korea’s Lee Ah-Reum, 8-6, on Wednesday.
She stands to get P500,000.
PSC executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy said the cash bonanzas will come their way once the Philippine Taekwondo Association submits its report and recommendation to the agency.