By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) is now allowing national athletes competing in next year’s Tokyo Olympics to resume training under a bubble setup since they have a very good chance of finally winning the country’s first-ever gold medal.
The announcement came from Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque based on a latest decision of the government pandemic task force.
“Ang pag-conduct ng bubble-type setting ay gagawin sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa regional task force kung saan gagawin ang training at lokal na pamahalaan kung saan nandun ang proposed venue,” Roque said.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez said they would immediately discuss the next steps regarding the resolution including clarification if this would include those athletes who have high chances of qualifying to the Olympics.
“We will discuss this matter,” Ramirez told Manila Bulletin-Tempo.
So far, the country has four qualifiers to the quadrennial spectacle with three of them training abroad: pole vaulter EJ Obiena in Italy, gymnast Carlos Yulo in Japan and boxer Eumir Marcial in the United States.
Boxer Irish Magno is is currently training in her hometown in Iloilo.
Both the POC and the PSC are confident the country can still produce more qualifiers since most qualifying tournaments are rescheduled next year.
Among those high performing athletes are weightlifter and 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz who is training in Malaysia, world champion boxer Nesthy Petecio, tracksters Kristina Knott and Eric Cray, golfer Yuka Saso, karatedo Junna Tsukii, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, and 2016 Rio Olympian Kirstie Alora of taekwondo.
The task force said the training bubble of the athletes must be made in coordination with the Regional Task Force where the training shall be conducted and the local government unit with the jurisdiction of the proposed venue. (With a report from Genaly Kabiling)
