The spotlight will focus on national athletes when the Department of Tourism-backed Pinoy Strong 100 goes full blast next year.
The sports reality TV show, hosted by celebrity Mixed Martial Arts fighter Mark Striegl, aims to determine the strongest Filipino from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, or social status.
“Pinoy Strong 100 is not just about showcasing physical strength. It also aims to highlight the cultural heritage and the best of the Philippines’ islands and destinations,” said co-producer Allan Majadillas of One-Of-A-Kind Asia, on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum at the VIP Lounge of the Rizal Memorial Sports Coliseum in Manila.
The first selection event was held over the weekend at the Skyranch in Tagaytay City in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee, featuring national athletes from various National Sports Associations.
Athletes from the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation (PCKDF) emerged as the top finishers in the tryout with Jobert Penaranda and Ojay Fuentes making it a 1-2 finish for the national paddlers while Mylene Matias of Kurash came in at third and placing fourth was Roger Kenneth Masbate, also from PCKDF.
Sixty aspirants from judo, obstacle sports, taekwondo, muay thai, kurash, wrestling and canoe-kayak-dragon boat went through various challenges, including burpees, dumbbell thrusters, medicine ball throws, and pull-ups in the selection held in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee.
“We will have challenges to determine the strongest of them all. We will squeeze the physical and mental toughness out of the participants,” said Striegl in the weekly forum supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Pagcor, San Miguel Corporation, and Milo.
The succeeding selections, which will be opened to the public, will be held in Cebu and at BGC in Taguig in January to complete the 100 participants in the one-of-a-kind reality TV show.
The top 100 qualifiers will be brought to different tourism destinations to undergo challenges to determine the strongest Filipino, or Filipina, for the show’s first season.
“This campaign celebrates the Filipino people and their incredible strength. We invite all Filipinos to join us in this inspiring search for the Pinoy Strong 100 and to witness the beauty of our culture and the strength of our people,” added Christine Majadillas, CEO of One-of-a-Kind Asia.
One of A Kind Asia is a renowned sports and tourism production company committed to showcasing exceptional stories of athletes and tourism destinations in the country and producing high-quality content.