MANILA – Swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido and wushu artist Angel Polo will kick off the Philippine campaign at the 4th Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Dakar, Senegal on Sunday.
Ajido sees action in the third of four heats of the men’s 100-meter butterfly at 10:54 a.m. (6:54 p.m., PH time) at Complexe Tour de l’Ceuf pool.
Polo will compete for a final eight seat against 10 opponents in the preliminary round of women’s taijishian at Diamniadio Expo Centre starting at 10:12 a.m. (6:12 p.m., PH time).
“It’s already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here. I trained very hard for months for this,” the 17-year-old Ajido said.
The Palarong Pambansa record holder in boys’ 100m butterfly and freestyle is among 31 swimmers eyeing eight berths in the final scheduled 3:32 p.m. (Dakar time), also on Sunday.
Polo, who will turn 16 on Dec. 21, will be facing 11 opponents in the traditional Chinese martial art.
The 10th grader at Pasay North City High School bagged bronze medal at the 10th World junior championships in Tanjin, China last March.
“I trained twice a day under coach Li [Chinese Li Jianfang] from 9 to 11 in the morning and 4 to 7 in the afternoon and evening,” Polo said.
On Monday, Polo will again compete in the women’s taijiquann preliminaries while Riannah Chantelle Coleman sees action in the women’s 200 meters breaststroke heats.
The wushu final rounds are scheduled Monday.
The YOG opened on Saturday night with hundreds of dancers celebrating Senegalese and African culture under the Games’ motto “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.”
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry and Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open at the 55,000-seat Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, an urban center 30 kilometers away from the capital.
