Eight Filipino athletes, bound for the upcoming Paris Summer Olympics, departed for the French city of Metz on Saturday morning, over a month before the games begin. The team includes boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Hergie Bacyadan, and Aira Villegas; weightlifters Elreen Ando, John Ceniza, and Vanessa Sarno; and rower Joanie Delgaco.
These athletes will train at a state-of-the-art sports facility in Metz, located in the same region as the Olympics. They believe that the month-long training camp will significantly enhance their performance.
“Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio emphasized the importance of adapting to the time zone and training conditions. “It’s a huge help, especially since we’ll get to spar with athletes in our weight category who have also qualified. We need to be careful and avoid picking up each other’s styles,” Petecio said.
The boxing team plans to train in Metz for one to two weeks before heading to Germany.
Olympic returnee Elreen Ando expressed her eagerness to get back to training, stating, “It’s a big help because we need to adapt to the climate there and get our bodies used to it.”
Joanie Delgaco, the country’s first Filipina Olympic rower, feels 90% ready for the competition. “The remaining 10% will be completed during the one-month training camp. I’ll be working doubly hard,” Delgaco said. She also highlighted the significance of her qualification, as few women make it to the Olympics in her sport.
Vanessa Sarno, a 20-year-old weightlifter, looks forward to her Olympic debut. “I’m excited and just focused on doing my best to reach the podium,” Sarno shared. Despite dealing with an injury, she is on the road to recovery and remains optimistic about her performance.
The weightlifters plan to stay at the training facility in Metz for the entire month.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino expressed high morale among the athletes. “I believe the athletes and officials are very happy and excited. This is the first time they’ll all train together in one camp, which is great for bonding. The entire Team Philippines will be together,” Tolentino said.
Tolentino also emphasized the importance of acclimatizing to local conditions ahead of the competition.
The Philippines currently has 15 representatives for the Paris Olympics, with hopes that more athletes will qualify in time for the games. The Paris Olympics will open on July 26 and run until August 11.