Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino revealed on Thursday the Malacañang Palace has directed him to produce more medals for the country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The President [Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.] wants more medals in Paris,” said Tolentino during the POC’s last General Assembly for the year in Parañaque City.
“And that’s an order we would more than happily want to accomplish,” he added.
The Philippines last year ended with a successful campaign in the Tokyo Olympics where weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz Naranjo bagged the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
Filipino boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio also delivered silver medals, while Eumir Marcial clinched a bronze in what could be the most successful Olympics for the Philippines in history.
“I just told the President that we delivered a lot of Olympic medals during the past administration, and he replied that it’s not enough and he wants more,” Tolentino said.
“So I answered ‘Yes Mr. President, we’ll do more in the Paris Olympics.”
The POC official said he is eyeing a minimum of 12 Filipino athletes who could qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024, but would be expecting more and perhaps surpass the 19 Olympians the country sent to Tokyo
