The three Filipino athletes seeing action in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea is another breakthrough for Philippine sports, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“It’s really good to see that we’re improving,” said Tolentino during a break in the POC extraordinary general assembly on Tuesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City.
The Philippines continues to defy norms by being one of a few tropical countries, which qualify athletes for the Winter Olympics.
Competing in the Winter Youth Olympics set to open Friday in Gangwon are speed skater Peter Groseclose, freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe and cross country skier Avery Balbanida.
The Philippines had two athletes at the Innsbruck 2012 edition—alpine skier Abel Tesfamariam and figure skater and two-time Winter Olympian Michael Martinez—and also two in Lausanne 2020—speed skater Julian Macaraeg and alpine skier Ana Noelle Wahleithner.
The Philippines did not participate in the 2016 Lillehammer, Norway Winter Youth Olympic Games.
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.
“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.”
Thailand has 19 athletes and Singapore has two in Gangwon.
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.
Tolentino and POC secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan will be in Gangwon on Thursday a day before a simultaneous opening ceremony at the GangneungOval and PyeongChang Dome.
There will be 1,900 athletes aged 15 to 18 from 79nations competing for 81 gold medals spread overseven sports in the games organized by the International Olympic Committee.