PUPULUNGIN ni newly-reelected president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino ang mga bagong miyembro ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Executive Board sa January 9 at pagkatapos nito ay ang unang General Assembly ng bagong taon sa January 15.
“Work starts in earnest,” sabi ni Tolentino, idinagdag na ang 2025 ay tatampukan ng 33rd Southeast
Asian Games sa December kung inaasahang gagawin ng host Thailand ang lahat upang tanghaling overall champion.
“That will be a tough SEA Games, but I’m confident our athletes, our national sports associations will deliver in Thailand,” ani Tolentino.
May ilang dosenang international competitions ang nakalinya sa 2025 kung saan tampok ang Ninth Asian Winter Games sa February 7-14 sa Harbin, China, at ang ipinagpalibang Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games sa Jeddah sa hindi pa binanggit na petsa.
Sinabi ni Tolentino na inaasahan niya na magpapatuloy ang upward trajectory ng Philippine sports kasunod ng makasaysayang pagwawagi ng dalawang gold medals ni Carlos Yulo sa gymnastics at dalawang bronzes sa boxing nina Nesthy Petecio at Aira Villegas sa Paris 2024 Olympics.
“It was one historic year in 2024 that raised the bar that high, making the POC’s mission and vision even more challenging,” ayon kay Tolentino. “But it wasn’t impossible and my trust and confidence over the NSAs and my ‘Working Team’ could boost our athletes to achieve higher goals.”
Si Tolentino at ang kanyang buong “Working Team” ang runaway winners sa POC elections noong nakaraang buwan— ang PhilCycling head ay nakakuha ng 45 votes na kumatawan sa three-fourths ng 61 voting members ng organisasyon.
Ang “Working Team”—first vice president Al Panlilio (basketball), second vice-president Richard Gomez (modern pentathlon), treasurer Dr. Raul Canlas (surfing), auditor Don Caringal (volleyball) and board members Leonora Escollante (canoe-kayak-dragon boat), Ferdie Agustin (jiu-jitsu), Alvin Aguilar (wrestling), Alexander Sulit (judo) at Leah Gonzalez (fencing)—ay nakakuha rin ng malaking votes of confidence mula sa NSAs.
Binigyang-diin ni Tolentino na ang template ng tagumpay na ginamit nina Yulo at Tokyo 2020 weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo ay palalakasin upang mapanatili ang streak para sa Philippine sports.
“The template’s been tried, tested and proven twice over,” aniya. “For this coming year, the ingredients are there, making the path to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 clearer and achievable.”