There are 20 Olympians in the Philippines’ roster of 1,168 athletes at the ongoing Bangkok SEA Games and so far, three have delivered golds with more waiting in line for a podium finish. It’s been an up-and-down challenge for the Olympians as some have rediscovered themselves to rise to the top but others have fallen by the wayside, unable to relive the glory of their past.
The 20 Olympians are John Cabang Tolentino, 24 (110m hurdles, 2024), EJ Obiena, 30 (pole vault, 2020, 2024), Kristina Knott, 30 (200m, 2020), Lauren Hoffman, 26 (400m hurdles, 2024), Eric Cray, 37 (400m hurdles, 2016), Eumir Marcial, 30 (middleweight boxing bronze, 2020, 2024), Nesthy Petecio, 33 (featherweight boxing silver 2020, bronze, 2024), Aira Villegas, 30 (lightflyweight boxing, 2024), Hergie Bacyadan (middleweight boxing, 2024) Kayla Sanchez, 24 (swimming 4x100m freestyle relay silver, 4x100m medley relay bronze for Canada, 2020, for the Philippines, 2024), Samantha Catantan, 23 (fencing, 2024), Joanie Delgaco, 27 (rowing, 2024), Aleah Finnegan, 22 (gymnastics, 2024), Hidilyn Diaz, 34 (weightlifting 58kg, 2008, 58kg 2012, silver 53kg, 2016, 55kg gold, 2020), Cris Nievarez, 25 (rowing, 2020), Jayson Valdez, 30 (shooting, 2020), Brian Rosario, 43 (shooting, 2012), Kurt Barbosa, 26 (taekwondo, 2020), Elreen Ando, 27 (weightlifting 64kg, 2020, 59kg, 2024) and Danny Caluag, 38 (BMX, 2012).
The three Olympians with SEA Games gold medals in Bangkok are Sanchez (swimming, 4×100 relay, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke), Tolentino (110m hurdles) and Finnegan (gymnastics, vault). Seeing action today is Cray (400m hurdles) while Obiena leaps to capture his fourth SEA Games gold medal tomorrow. Bagging a bronze were Barbosa in 54kg, Petecio in 63kg, Bacyadan in 70kg and Finnegan in balance beam. Sanchez added silvers in 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke. Among those landing out of the dais are Knott, Diaz and Caluag.
Athletics has the most Olympians in the cast with Obiena, Tolentino, Cray, Knott and Hoffman. PATAFA president Terry Capistrano said the Olympic pedigree is a confidence booster. ‘In the first place, their ability to handle pressure was one of various reasons why they were able to book a ticket to the Olympics,’ he said ‘Look at John (Tolentino). At one time, he was in the near top 20 in the world rankings. And EJ was once ranked No. 2 in the world.’
In boxing, the two Olympians still in contention for gold in Bangkok are Marcial (80kg) and Villegas (50kg). They’re both scheduled to battle in the semifinals on Wednesday. Villegas will be up against Myanmar’s Mya Moe Thu while Marcial takes on the winner of the quarterfinal match between Jeremias Mendonca Amanal of Timor Leste and Vietnam’s Nguyen Manh Cuong.