Palaro record-holder, wushu World medalist get PH bid going
DAKAR, SENEGAL—Swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido and wushu standout Angel Polo open the Philippines’ campaign in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) on Sunday, hoping to build on their international experience as Africa hosts the event for the first time.
Ajido, 17, will compete in the third of four heats of the men’s 100-meter butterfly at the Complexe Tour de l’Oeuf pool, with 31 swimmers chasing eight spots in the final later in the day.
Competition time is at 10:54 a.m. here (6:54 p.m. in Manila).
Polo, meanwhile, will face 11 rivals in the women’s taijijian preliminaries at the Diamniadio Expo Centre starting at 10:12 a.m. here (6:12 p.m. Manila time), seeking a place among the eight finalists.
Ajido, a silver medalist at the 2024 Southeast Asian age-group championships and a Palarong Pambansa record holder, hopes to make the most of his first appearance on the Olympic stage.
“[This is] the YOG and it’s already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here,” said Ajido, an 11th grader at Homeschool Global. “I trained very hard for months for this.”
Polo, who turns 16 on Dec. 21, is coming off a bronze-medal performance at the World Junior Wushu Championships in Tianjin, China, last March.
The Pasay North City High School student said she was grateful for the opportunity to compete in Dakar after her school allowed her to take time off from classes to prepare for the Games.
“Very, very happy,” Polo said.
“I trained twice a day under coach Li [Jianfang] from 9 to 11 in the morning and 4 to 7 [p.m.],” she added.
Polo returns to action Monday for the women’s taijiquan preliminaries, with the wushu finals also scheduled that day.
Riannah Chantelle Coleman will likewise make her Olympic debut Monday in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke heats.
“We know that our young athletes have prepared themselves for these YOG and we’re hoping for the best results,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said.
The fourth edition of the Youth Olympics officially opened Saturday night at the 55,000-seat Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, about 30 kilometers from the Senegalese capital.
Hundreds of dancers showcased Senegalese and African culture during the opening ceremony, held under the theme “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.”
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye formally opened the Games, which brought together nearly 3,000 young athletes from around the world.
