A total of 31 athletes and 12 coaches from seven sports will get funding from the First Gentleman in their buildup for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing where the country hopes to nail its first ever gold medal.
Philippine Sports Commission chair William “Butch” Ramirez made this announcement yesterday after he met with the First Gentleman for more than two hours, the first since he underwent a heart operation more than a month ago.
“This is basically the group he wants to send to the Olympics,” Ramirez said.
Boxing has the most number of slots approved with seven athletes and three coaches including a berth for a Cuban coach, probably Raul Liranza, who trained Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco when he snared a rare silver medal in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Taekwondo, wushu and diving come next with six athletes and two coaches each while shooting, fencing and lawn tennis were given three berths–two athletes and a coach–apiece.
The berths in lawn tennis are expected to go to the Fil-Am duo of Cecil Mamiit and Mark Taino, who claimed gold medals in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and a bronze medal in the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
Ramirez, however, clarified that the rest of Olympic hopefuls who are not in the list would still be supported by the sports agency through its own funds.
In fact, athletes who were supposed to leave early this week are now scheduled to fly to China on June 8 for training.
These are 22 athletes and 11 coaches from weightlifting, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, archery, rowing and equestrian.
Their training though will depend on the availability of the Chinese coaches.
“We were the ones who asked for help, we can’t demand from them,” said Ramirez
Although Ramirez said Arroyo, who helped bankroll Team Philippines’ successful 2005 Manila SEAG campaign, has pledged to support the Olympic training program, no specific date for a pledging session has been set.
“We just have to be patient,” said Ramirez.