Tolentino sees big potential in winter sports
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino believes the country’s participation in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea is another breakthrough for Philippine sports.
“It’s really good to see that we’re improving,” said Tolentino during a break in the POC extraordinary general assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Parañaque City.
Despite being a tropical country, the Philippines has three qualifiers competing in the quadrennial meet: speed skater Peter Groseclose, freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe and cross country skier Avery Balbanida.
This is the most number of athletes the country is sending in the Games after it sent two each in the 2012 Innsbruck (alpine skier Abel Tesfamariam and figure skater Michael Martinez) and in the 2020 Lausanne (speed skater Julian Macaraeg and alpine skier Ana Noelle Wahleithner).
The country did not participate in the 2016 edition held in Lillehammer, Norway.
Tolentino, Tagaytay City’s incumbent mayor who also heads the cycling federation, praised Southeast Asian nations Thailand and Singapore for also qualifying athletes for Gangwon where they will vie against Youth Olympians from 17 Asian and a total of 79 national Olympic committees.
Thailand has 19 athletes while Singapore has two.
“Southeast Asian athletes are improving in winter sports and we’re happy to be part of it,” Tolentino said. “It’s really a great honor for South Korea for being the first Asian country to host such a big event.”
Groseclose and his parents Tim and Victoria are already in Seoul, Rabe is flying in on Friday and Balbanida is due in Gangwon on January 25.