The major international multi-sport event Summer Olympic Games, held every four years, may have been postponed last year as the world grapples with the pandemic, at-long-last, athletes coming from all nations are ready for action at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics happening from July 23 to August 8.
Since the Philippines’ Olympic debut in the 1924 Paris Games, the nation has participated in 21 Olympic editions, gathering a total of 10 medals — 7 bronze, 3 silver, and 0 gold. The 19 Filipino athletes competing in this year’s Summer Olympics will attempt to bring home the first-ever gold for the Philippines.
Here’s how each athlete booked their ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics:
EJ OBIENA (Athletics - Men’s Pole Vault)
After beating the 5.80 meters qualifying standard for men’s pole vault, winning the gold, and breaking the Philippine record in the Jump and Fly International Athletics in Mossingen, Germany, Obiena makes the first Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
CARLOS YULO (Gymnastics - Artistic)
Philippines’ first-ever World Gymnastics Champion, Carlos Yulo, qualifies for the Tokyo Summer Olympics after finishing 18th place out of 160 participants in the All-Around and Floor Exercise competition at the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
EUMIR MARCIAL (Boxing - Men’s Middleweight)
The 25-year-old middleweight boxer, Eumir Marcial, punches his ticket to the Tokyo Summer Olympics after winning against Byamba-Erdene Otgonbaatar of Mongolia at the Asia Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan.
IRISH MAGNO (Boxing - Women’s Flyweight)
Magno becomes the second boxer to represent the Philippines at the Tokyo Olympics after winning against Tajikistan's Sumaiya Qosimova at the Asia Oceania Olympics qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, making her the first-ever Filipina boxer to join the Olympics.
NESTHY PETECIO (Boxing - Women’s Featherweight)
Women’s featherweight champion and second female boxer to represent the country and compete at the Olympics, Nesthy Petecio, advances her way to the Tokyo Olympics by virtue of her highest standing in the women’s featherweight category.
CARLO PAALAM (Boxing - Men’s Flyweight)
Joining Petecio, Magno, and Marcial as one of the Philippine boxing bets at the Tokyo Olympics is Carlo Paalam. Similar to Petecio, Paalam, ranking 12th in the Men’s Flyweight Division at the Amateur International Boxing Association, advances his way to the Tokyo Olympics by virtue of his highest standing in the men’s flyweight category.
HIDILYN DIAZ (Weightlifting - Women’s 55kg)
After finishing 4th place with a 94kg snatch and 118kg clean and jerk at the Asian Weightlifting Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Diaz books her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics. This is her second time competing at the Summer Olympics after bagging the silver medal in the Women’s 53-kg weight division in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
CRIS NIEVAREZ (Rowing - Men’s Single Sculls)
Following his win in the men’s lightweight single sculls at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, Nievarez once again raises the Philippine flag as he qualifies for the Tokyo Summer Olympics after placing 9th in the World Rowing Asia Oceania Continential Qualification Regetta in Tokyo, making him the third rower to represent the Philippines in the Summer Olympics.
KURT BARBOSA (Taekwondo - Men’s -58kg)
The rookie player of the year and most valuable player of the UAAP Season 81 taekwondo division, Kurt Barbosa, books his ticket to the Tokyo Summer Olympics after winning against Zaid Al-Halawani in the Men’s 58-kg semifinals at the 2021 Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.
MARGIELYN DIDAL (Skateboard - Women’s Street)
The 2018 Asian Games, 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold-medalist, and Philippines’ top skateboarder, Margielyn Didal, makes her way to the Tokyo Summer Olympics by acquiring a world-ranking qualified for the Olympics.
ELREEN ANDO (Weightlifting - Women’s 64kg)
The 22-year-old weightlifter, Elreen Ando, books her ticket to the Tokyo Summer Olympics via continental allocation, as she holds the title of the highest-ranked athlete in the International Weightlifting Federation Absolute Ranking in Asia. Ando joins Diaz as one of the Philippines’ bets in the Weightlifting category.
JAYSON VALDEZ (Shooting - Men’s Air Rifle 10m)
After representing the country in several international competitions, including the 2010 Asian Games, 2015 Southeast Asia Games where he bagged the bronze medal, 2018 Asian Games, and 2019 Southeast Asian Games, Jayson Valdez is back on the range, representing the Philippines in the Tokyo Summer Olympics after qualifying in the men’s air rifle 10-meter event via continental quota.
JUVIC PAGUNSAN (Men’s Golf)
After ruling at the Japan Golf Tour in the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open, Pagunsan pans out and qualifies for the Tokyo Summer Olympics as he makes a spot in the 60-man field, booking his ticket to Olympics based on world rankings.
KRISTINA KNOTT (Athletics - Women’s 200m)
The Filipino-American sprinter, 2019 Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist, Kristina Knott, earns a spot for the Tokyo Summer Olympics after grabbing a universality place in the women’s 200-meter.
KIYOMI WATANABE (Judo - Women’s -63kg)
After striking in numerous competitions representing the Philippines, including the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and International Judo Federation World Tour, to name a few, Kiyomi Watanabe, yet again aims to dominate the Judo scene as she qualifies for the Tokyo Summer Olympics via continental quota, ranking 41st in the 63kg division.
BIANCA PAGDANGANAN (Women’s Golf)
The Asian and Southeast Asian Games medalist, Bianca Pagdanganan, books her ticket to the Tokyo Summer Olympics after the International Golf Federation released the Olympic ranking for women’s gold. Pagdanganan ranks 44th, making her qualified to compete at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
YUKA SASO (Women’s Golf)
Following her win at the 76th U.S. Women's Open Championships, where she became the first Filipino player to win the tournament, Yuka Saso qualifies for the Tokyo Summer Olympics alongside Bianca Pagdanganan, after the confirmation of the Women’s Olympic Gold rankings, placing 9th in the world ranking.
REMEDY RULE (Swimming - Women’s 200m Butterfly)
Filipino-American swimmer, Remedy Rule, books her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics after racking up 830 FINA points, making her the highest female tanker of the Philippine national team — qualified to compete at the Tokyo Summer Olympics after being awarded the universality place.
LUKE GEBBIE (Swimming - Men’s 50m and 100m Freestyle)
Filipino-Kiwi swimmer, Luke Gebbie, ranks as the highest male tanker of the Philippine national team, accumulating 823 FINA points, making him qualified to compete at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, joining Remedy Rule as one of the country’s swimming bets in the Olympics.
Boxer Eumir Marcial, alongside judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, will carry the Philippine flag during the Olympics’ opening ceremony.
The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics can be streamed through TV5 and One Sports for free. For cignal subscribers, an eight-hour daily coverage will be available on One Sports+, while online streaming will be available on numerous websites and apps, including cignalplay.com and gigafest.smart.