The Philippine surfing team will not need to wait long to find out if they can qualify for the Olympics.
Going to El Salvador in the last week of May will give Filipino surfers a chance to know if they can make the cut to the quadrennial meet in Tokyo.
“The Olympic qualification for surfing is supposed to be a two-year process. But because of the pandemic, it was compressed,” said United Philippine Surfing Association president Dr. Raul Canlas on Facebook live.
A six-man Philippine squad is getting ready to leave on May 17 to train and then join a competition in El Salvador.
The event is known as the International Surfing Association World Surfing Games Olympic Qualifiers.
And this will be the country’s final opportunity to earn a slot for the Olympics in Japan.
“The top Asian who finishes will qualify for the Olympics,” added Canlas.
The men’s team is led Southeast Asian Games silver medalist and La Union native Jay-R Esquivel.
SEA Games bronze medalist John Mark ‘Marama’ Tokong, who is training in Australia), will be around with veteran Edito ‘Piso’ Alcala Jr.
Teenage surfer Vea Estrellado, who recently turned 18, will be the youngest member to join.
The country’s top-ranked women’s surfers will be there, with SEA Games gold medalist Nilbie Blancada, and SEA Games bronze medalist Daisy Valdez teaming up.