PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino visits rower Joanie Delgaco while training at the Metz Boat Club.

TWO of the country’s top medal prospects, gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, and rower Joanie Delgaco kick off the Philippine campaign this Saturday (July 27)— a day after the Paris Olympics’ unique opening ceremony over the Seine River.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino expects returning Olympians Yulo and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Marcial to kick-start the bid with the country hoping to match or surpass the historic first Olympic gold Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won in Tokyo 2020 and the silvers of boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio.

“We’re looking forward to Caloy [Yulo], Eumir and Joanie giving the country that strong start in Paris,” said Tolentino, who will be flying to the French capital on Tuesday. “They’re all ready and inspired and in high spirits.”

Yulo, 23, who finished fourth in Tokyo in vault,  competes in the qualification round of the men’s individual all-around beginning at 9:30 p.m.(Philippine time) with the finals of set on Wednesday (July 31.)

The 28-year-old Marcial, on the other hand, will be competing in the light-heavyweight division after bringing home the middleweight bronze medal from Tokyo.

The Zamboanga City native, who has a 5-0 record as a pro, starts his bid, also at 9:30 p.m. (Philippine time) on Saturday.

Delgaco, meanwhile, tries to advance to the finals from the women’s single Sculls heats at 3 p.m.(Philippine time)—she’s the first Filipina to qualify for Olympic rowing.

Tolentino has earlier declared confidence that the 22-athlete Team Philippines will deliver in Paris.

“This team, I believe, is the most prepared in Philippine Olympic history,” said Tolentino, who thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for its unrelenting support to the campaign that turned feverish with the first-ever pre-Olympic training camp in Metz, France.

“Our athletes have trained and prepared through a tried-and-tested template that guarantees an Olympic medal,” he added.

A two-time world champion—in 2019 floor exercise and 2021 in vault—Yulo is joined by three more gymnasts—Filipino-Americans Aleah Finnegan, Levi Jung-Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyom while Marcial has returning Olympians Petecio and Paalam, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan in boxing.

The Philippines marks its 100th year of participation in Paris, which will gather 10,714 athletes from 206 nations competing in 329 events from 32 sports.

EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL will now focus full-time on his Olympic gold medal dream following the cancelation of his fifth professional fight set later this month, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Friday.

“Eumir will be coming home from the US as soon as possible to join the national boxing team and work on his Australian visa,” said Tolentino, referring to Marcial joining the national team training camp starting on September 1 in Canberra.

Marcial’s fight this August was canceled and moved to September, which runs in conflict with the Hangzhou Asian Games that start on September 23 and end on October 8.

Tolentino brokered Marcial’s availability for the Asian Games—a Paris Olympics qualifier—with his promotion MP Promotions, whose president, Sean Gibbons, agreed to write off the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist’s training expenses for his supposed fifth pro fight in the US.

Professional boxers are charged training expenses which are almost always deducted from their guaranteed fight purse.

“Sean [Gibbons] readily agreed that Marcial focuses on Hangzhou and go after his Olympic dream,” Tolentino said.
It will however be a tough campaign for Marcial in Hangzhou.

First, he’ll be fighting at 81 kgs (light heavyweight) because the 71-kg class (middleweight) where he clinched bronze in Tokyo was scratched from the Hangzhou program.

And second, he needs to reach the final after it was decreed that only the boxing finalists in Hangzhou will qualify for Paris—no longer the traditional semifinals cut-off.

Marcial is aware of the challenge and vowed to go all out for his Olympic dream.

“It’s now or never,” said the 27-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City, who’s unbeaten in four pro fights.
(AI/MNM)

PBA Commissioner Willy Marcial

Willie Marcial, the commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), has voiced his support for the idea of increasing the league’s teams to possibly 16, provided that the league’s TV partner is capable of broadcasting the additional games.

Marcial’s statement came after his recent appearance on the PSA Forum.

“We are open to having 14 to 16 teams, as long as our television partner is willing to broadcast games more frequently than just three times a week,” Marcial stated during the public sports forum held on Tuesday.

The current schedule for the league’s regular games falls on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while Saturdays are generally reserved for out-of-town matches.

The PBA, set to launch Season 48 on October 15 with the Commissioner’s Cup, last expanded its team roster in 2014 with the introduction of Blackwater and Kia (now known as Terrafirma), although neither team has secured a league championship title thus far.

Meanwhile, Dioceldo Sy, owner of the Blackwater team, has previously raised the notion of adding more expansion teams to the PBA to league officials.

“As a team owner, I have advocated for this,” Sy affirmed, referring to the prospect of broadening the league’s membership.

Sy proposed that the PBA could effectively diversify by encouraging prominent companies operating in Visayas or Mindanao to join the professional league.

“We could potentially have two teams from Mindanao, especially with the forthcoming Quiboloy Gym, which can accommodate 75,000 spectators and is expected to be ready next year. This could involve one team from Davao and another from cities like Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, or Zamboanga,” Sy suggested.

The expansive facility in Davao, known as the KJC King Dome, is under the ownership of Filipino pastor Apollo Quiboloy from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Sy also highlighted Visayas as a promising region for PBA growth, citing the construction of a basketball arena sponsored by the major mall chain SM in Cebu, along with potential options in Iloilo or Bacolod.

Considering the saturation of basketball events in Metro Manila, Sy proposed that hosting more PBA games outside the capital city could be a strategic approach.

“This approach could initiate a home-and-away format, as the PBA currently takes a secondary position at MOA (Mall of Asia Arena) and Araneta Coliseum. We could collaborate with PBA teams and various host cities equipped with suitable arenas,” Sy elaborated, alluding to the shared use of the PBA’s Metro Manila home courts for concerts and other sporting activities. (ai/mnm)