POC officials in Beijing, athletes back in Manila

BEIJING – Philippine sports officials, led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco and chief of mission Monico Puentevella, remained in this city with a handful of athletes for the closing ceremonies of the 29th Olympic Games.

A number of athletes, bumped off from the overbooked Beijing-Manila flight tomorrow, flew home yesterday after the Philippines came home empty-handed for the third straight Olympics.

Divers Sheila Mae Perez and Ryan Fabriga, swimmer Christel Simms, long jumpers Henry Dagmil and Marestella Torres with their coach Joseph Sy took PR 539 that left Beijing at noon yesterday, leaving swimmer Miguel Molina, taekwondo jins Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero to march at the spectacular closing ceremonies last night at the National Stadium or Bird’s Nest.

Interviewed at the Beijing Capital Airport before they boarded their flight, the athletes took this disappointing turn of events in stride, even as they rued their poor performance at the Games.

The athletes admitted that nerves and pressure got the better of them although they conceded the level of competition at the Olympics was beyond their reach.

With just one good jump out of three tries, long jumper Henry Dagmil said a medal is not an impossibility in London in 2012. Three-fourths of a meter off the gold medal jump of 8.34 meters by Panamanian Aranda Saladino, Dagmil said he was motivated and energized by the high level of competition he faced, and vowed to continue training as he sets his sights on the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and the 2012 Olympiad.

The athletes reiterated the need for long-term, continuous training, including participation in high-level international competitions.

“Even if we do not win medals in these competitions, our athletes need foreign exposure in order to know their level in the international arena,” coach Sy told The STAR.