PH Olympians march 146th
OPENING CEREMONIES
LONDON—The Philippines will be the 146th delegation among 205 countries that will march into London’s shimmering Olympic Stadium when the 30th Summer Games comes off the wraps with an extravaganza of a show Friday night (Saturday in Manila).
To two-time Olympian Hidilyn Diaz belongs the honor of carrying the country’s national colors and leading the 25 Filipino athletes and officials into the 60,000-capacity stadium, the crown jewel of an Olympic park that was carved out of east London’s impossibly poisoned industrial wastelands and resuscitated at a cost of $32 billion.
In a throwback to Filipino haute couture at the turn of the 20th century, Diaz and the rest of the Filipinos will be wearing Rajo Laurel’s Filipiniana creations with the men unnecessarily shielding their heads in London’s nippy summer breeze with salakot.
London’s grand opening party, directed by the eminent Stephen Boyle of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame, promises to dazzle with a breathtaking British touch. Sir Paul McCartney is touted as the highlight performer with “Hey Jude” in the show that starts at 9 p.m. (4 a.m. in Manila).
Queen Elizabeth II will declare the Games open, the third time this dreary British isles is hosting what perhaps is mankind’s greatest show beamed live before an audience of more than a billion.
Behind Diaz are the rest of the 11 Filipino athletes vying in this Games—long jumper Marestella Torres and archer Mark Javier, both two-time Olympians; swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Khing Lacuna, skeet shooter Brian Rosario, boxer Mark Barriga, judoka Tomohiko Hoshina, BMX racer Daniel Caluag, steeplechaser Rene Herrera and archer Rachelle Anne Cabral.
Diaz has the rare distinction of joining such international sports stars as Maria Sharapova of Russia and Pau Gasol of Spain as flag bearers in the $57-million opening show.
“I am very honored and excited to be carrying the country’s flag,” said the 21-yearold Diaz, the world’s No. 9-ranked lifter in her weight category.