(POC Media Pool)
Team Philippines faces a challenging campaign as the fourth Youth Olympic Games officially opens Saturday, October 31, with the country’s young athletes seeking to add to its medal haul against some of the world’s strongest competitors.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino acknowledged the difficulty of reaching the podium after inspecting competition venues and the Athletes’ Village in Diamniadio, about 40 kilometers from Dakar.
“They’re big and they look strong,” Tolentino said, referring to athletes from the Americas and Europe.
“It will be very difficult,” he added, while expressing confidence that the Filipino athletes had prepared extensively for the international competition.
Tolentino arrived in Senegal on Wednesday with POC secretary-general Wharton Chan and toured the facilities ahead of the opening ceremony.
On Thursday night, the POC chief welcomed the first batch of Filipino athletes who arrived at Blaise Diagne International Airport following a 30-hour journey from Manila via Istanbul.
Among the early arrivals were swimmers Riannah Chantelle Coleman and Jamesray Michael Ajido, along with wushu athlete Angel Polo.
The athletes have checked in at the Athletes’ Village in Diamniadio, accompanied by swimming coaches Ramil Ilustre and Jensen Halili and Chinese wushu coach Li Jianfang.
“So, it’s good luck to our athletes, although I’m sure they prepared hard for this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Tolentino said.
More Filipino athletes are scheduled to arrive in the coming days.
Gymnasts Hillarion Palles III and Tchelcy Mei Maayo, together with coaches Reyland Capellan and Kazutaka Hakamada, are set to depart for Dakar via Istanbul on Saturday.
Cyclist Maritanya Krog and coaches Mark John Lexer Galedo and Marita Lucas are scheduled to travel on November 4, along with athletics representatives Pi Wangkay and Naomi Cesar and coach Jasper Tanhueco.
Philippine Taekwondo Association secretary-general Raul “Rocky” Samson serves as the delegation’s chef de mission.
The Philippine contingent enters the Youth Olympics following the country’s campaign at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where Filipino athletes collected four gold, nine silver, and 16 bronze medals.
The Philippines has won two medals in previous editions of the Youth Olympic Games.
Archer Luis Gabriel Moreno captured gold in the mixed international team event alongside China’s Li Jiaman at the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing.
Four years later, kiteboarder Christian Tio secured a silver medal in the boys’ twin-tip racing event at the 2018 edition in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Dakar Games mark a historic milestone as the first Olympic sporting event to be staged on African soil.
Approximately 2,700 young athletes representing National Olympic Committees worldwide, along with a Youth Refugee Olympic Team, are expected to participate.
The competition will feature 25 sports and 10 engagement sports, with events taking place across Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
The Youth Olympic Games, first held in Singapore in 2010, provide young athletes an international platform to compete while promoting sportsmanship, cultural exchange, and Olympic values.
For Team Philippines, the Dakar edition offers another opportunity to gain valuable international experience and pursue the country’s next Youth Olympic medal.
