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By Emil C. Noguera Correspondent
THE Philippines Olympic Committee
and Philippine Sports Commission asked national sports associations
to finalize their Olympic training programs next month.
After reviewing the first batch
of budget proposals submitted by boxing, tae kwon do, swimming,
tennis, weightlifting, diving, fencing, archery, athletics, shooting
and rowing, POC and PSC officials agreed to give the NSAs two more
weeks.
“We received the first batch of
budgets presented by the ten potential NSAs qualifers for Beijing
but we decided to give them two more weeks to review and finalize
their programs,” said POC first vice-president Monico Puentevella
after the meeting held Wednesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig
City.
Puentevella, named chef de
mission of the Beijing-bound RP delegation, said that after the
Olympic program has been finalized, he will present it to President
Gloria Arroyo, who gave her full support to the country’s bid for
a first gold medal.
Puentevella also asked the heads
of the NSAs to come up with the list of prospective “Godfathers”
whom they think could help finance their athletes.
“We requested for their
preferences as far as Godfathers are concerned who would also be
willing to help the PSC in shouldering their expenses. That way, we
could immediately sit down with these possible Godfathers,” added
Puentevella.
Also present in the meeting were
POC President Jose Cojuangco Jr., PSC Chairman William Ramirez and
various NSA heads.
So far, nine athletes have
qualified for the Beijing Games this August.
They are boxer Harry Tañamor,
tae kwon do jins Mary Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go, swimmers
Miguel Molina, Ryan Arabejo, JB Walsh and Daniel Coakley, archer
Mark Javier and shooter Eric Ang.
Ramirez is eyeing 15 more
athletes to qualify for the Olympics as some athletes are still set
to compete in qualifying tournaments.
“We are very optimistic that 20
to 25 athletes will make it to the Olympics. We are 100-percent
behind our athletes,” said Ramirez.
Meanwhile, five boxers leave
Thursday for Thailand for the first Asian Olympic qualifying to be
held in the capital city of Bangkok.
The boxers, to be accompanied by
ABAP President Manny Lopez, are Violito Payla (51kg), Joan Tipon
(54kg), Orlando Tacuyan Jr. (57kg) and Fil-Am Adam Bigornia Fiel
(64kg).
The second Olympic qualifying
will be held in March in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Tañamor earned an Olympic ticket
after winning the silver medal in the 2007 AIBA World Championship
in Chicago, Illinois.
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