By Liza Soriano
MANILA – The Senate has commended and congratulated the 22 Filipino athletes who joined the 2024 Paris Olympics led by two-time gold medalist Carlos Yulo.
The upper chamber adopted Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 1128, authored by Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., taking into consideration SRNs 1129, 1132, 1140, 1141 and 1144 commending and congratulating Team Philippines “for their impressive performance” in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Filipino Olympians hauled two golds and another two bronze medals, making it the country’s best performance ever in the Olympics since 1924.
“The historic and record-breaking achievements by the Filipino Olympians, which can be considered as the country’s best Olympics stint in history, proves that Filipinos are among the best and brightest in the global arena of sports,” Revilla said in his resolution.
“The 22-strong Philippine contingent in the Paris 2024 Olympics has served as an epitome of the ‘quintessence of Filipino spirit’ defining the nation’s continuous showcase of perseverance, discipline and excellence. Their participation in the quadrennial sporting event is proof of unfolding historical milestones beyond chasing medals. They are exemplars in their respective fields who shine their light of inspiration to our next generations of athletes,” it added.
Earlier, Yulo and 21 other athletes got a warm reception at the Malacañang Palace where they were received by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the First Family after they arrived from Paris.
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In the lead-up to the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes has been forthright in expressing the team’s objective — to emerge as the top Asian team. Such an achievement would secure a coveted spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Gilas Pilipinas finds itself grouped with the Dominican Republic (ranked 23rd in the world), Angola (41st), and Italy (ranked 10th) in Group A during the opening round.
Meanwhile, China, a 16-time Asian champion, is placed in Group B alongside sixth-ranked Serbia, Puerto Rico (ranked 20th), and South Sudan (ranked 62nd).
Following the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the second group phase, while the bottom two teams will enter the classification phase.
Gilas faces challenges, including injury concerns and the absence of key players like Kai Sotto and NBA star Jordan Clarkson from team practice. With just a month left, the team is striving to develop a cohesive unit that can secure crucial victories during the group stage.
Before the FIBA World Cup, the Philippine team is scheduled to participate in a pocket tournament in Guangdong, China, where they will compete against Iran, Lebanon, and Senegal.
Additionally, they recently completed a 16-day Europe training camp, playing tuneup matches against Estonia, Finland, Ukraine’s under-20 team, and two Lithuanian squads, ending with a 3-3 record in those matches.
Reyes also confirmed that Gilas will have a friendly match against Mexico, just one week before their FIBA World Cup debut against the Dominican Republic on August 25th at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
The stage is set for an intense battle as Gilas Pilipinas aims to seize the lone Olympic slot and potentially collide with powerhouse China in the process.
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