SEAG-bound athletes test new training facilities
The country’s national athletes who will see action at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games next month will be among the first to use the newly refurbished equipment at PhilSports Complex, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chief Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said during the unveiling ceremony attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We will be sending the biggest delegation so far, 1,600 athletes,” Tolentino said on Wednesday. “And we are going to be using these pieces of equipment now to train before going to Bangkok.”
Tolentino has said the Philippines faces an uphill battle against its regional rivals, with Thailand, as host, limiting several of the Filipinos’ gold medal chances.
But the POC president has also said the delegation will put up a good fight.
The renovated training center and the National Museum for Sports were unveiled on Wednesday, with President Marcos admitting he was impressed with the improvements.
“We’ve had something like this in the past, but nothing as good,” the president said.
The chief executive added that the training center will play a vital role in ensuring that national athletes will always be prepared when competing for international glory.
“When athletes are training for a specific match, a specific tournament, a specific fight, … everything about their preparation has to be complete,” President Marcos said. “They have to be able to rest well. They have to be able to eat the proper food. They have to be trained properly.
“So I congratulate all those who have been part of this rebirth, shall we say, of these facilities. And I congratulate you all, and I know that this kind of facility will be so important and will help our athletes do better … in all their competitions.”
The SEA Games will kick off on Dec. 9 in Thailand.
Tolentino, meanwhile, hopes that the next sports infrastructure that will be unveiled will be the POC building, something the Olympic chief feels is long overdue.
“After 100 years of our country competing in the Olympics, we won gold in Tokyo, followed by the Paris Olympics, where we won two,” Tolentino said. “After 100 years, we really need a stand-alone building for the Philippine Olympic Committee. All nations in the world have one. We are the only ones left with none.”
Tolentino said he is optimistic that with the help of Philippine Ambassador for Sports Vinny Marcos, that dream will be a reality.
