Filipino-American standout Riley Silos will lead members of the national team joining the last stage of the Olympic qualifying tournament for archery in Paris, France from the June 18 to 21.
Based in Pasadena, California, Silos is one of six who passed the tryouts during the 2nd World Archery Philippines Evaluation Virtual Tournament and 31st Southeast Asian Games Qualifier two weeks ago.
“He (Silos) is based in California and has passed the test. Riley will be in the qualifiers,” said WAP secretary-general Rosendo Sombrio in an interview with the Manila Standard.
A music student at the Los Angeles College of Music, Silos topped the men’s recurve with a total of score of 1306, with Baguio’s Jason Felciano in second at 1284.
Gene Patrick Valencia of General Santos City was third at 1272.
The rest of the contingent is made up of Carson Hastie, Pia Elizabeth Bidaure, Phoebe Amistoso and Monica Bidaure.
Coaches Clint Sayo and Joy Marino are coming with the team to Paris.
“My team and I have been working hard. I train the whole day. And it’s a lot of mental training, visualizing,” said Silos in a recent radio interview.
Silos and his teammates were supposed to go to Chinese Taipei to train with their national squad that is bound for the Tokyo Olympics.
But a surge of coronavirus infections in Taiwan prevented the Philippine squad from going there.
Plans have since changed, but Sombrio said Silos has continued to prepare for Paris, while in the US.
The rest of the members of the national team have since returned to Dumaguete to continue their preparations.
WAP president Clint Aranas said the national will be there until they leave for Paris next month.