POC chief hopeful remaining PH athletes will win Paris Olympics medals

Metro Manila, Philippines — Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino said the country could still add more medals with the remaining athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, and weightlifters John Ceniza, Elreen Ando, and Vanessa Sarno are in a good position for a podium finish in the quadrennial meet.

"We're still hoping that we win more. We still have seven athletes competing — two from boxing assured of medals then the three weightlifters and two golfers," the POC head told NewsWatch Plus in an exclusive interview.

With Petecio and Villegas securing medals in boxing plus the two gold from champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, the Philippines has leveled its performance in Paris from the Tokyo Summer Games three years ago with the chance of exceeding it.

"We will try to surpass the medal haul in the Tokyo Olympics. If we base it on gold medals, we already surpassed it," Tolentino said.

Villegas will be fighting Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkey in the 50 kilogram (kg) semifinal on Aug. 7, while Petecio will face Julia Szeremeta of Poland in the 57 kg semis on Aug. 8.

Meanwhile, Pagdanganan and Ardina will be hitting the fairway starting Aug. 7.

Ceniza and Ando will be stepping on the platform on Aug. 7 and 8, while Sarno will wrap up the Philippines' Paris Olympics campaign on Aug. 10.