THE 2024 Summer Olympics officially concluded on August 11, with the United States edging out China in the final total medal tally, clinching 40 gold medals, 44 silvers, and 42 bronzes for a total of 126 medals.
With the two golds pocketed by gymnast Carlos Yulo, and one bronze medal each from female boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, the Philippines was tied with Hong Kong, China at 37th place. This is our best-ever medal harvest in the Olympic Games since we first participated in 1924, also in Paris.
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the country also took home four medals – our first gold that was won by weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, two silvers from boxers Carlo Paalam and Petecio, and a bronze courtesy of boxer Eumir Marcial.
It was way back in 1932 in Los Angeles when the Philippine contingent captured more than one medal. Teofilo Yldefonso finished third in the 200m breaststroke, Simeon Toribio clinched the bronze in the men’s high jump while boxer Jose Villanueva copped another bronze in the men’s bantamweight.
After 100 years of participating in the quadrennial sporting event, we now have a total of 18 Olympic medals – three golds, five silvers, and ten bronzes. Are we seeing an uphill in the country’s Olympic medal tally from here on? Looks like it because our sports officials are now realizing, albeit very late, that they have wrongly prioritized the events which they thought would bring us Olympic glory.
Let’s face it. One need not be a sports expert to realize that we have made our Olympic mark in events where height is not of utmost consideration and to a certain extent, an absolute advantage. For the longest time, we have been a basketball crazy nation and of late, we have shifted our attention to volleyball. While I am all-out for government and private support for sports, we should demand for the same level, intensity and amount of backing for all sports, and not just for events that bring in the money in terms of tickets sales at the gates and corporate sponsorships in terms of ads.
Our Olympics medallists say it all – boxing, swimming, athletics, gymnastics and weightlifting – sporting events that were never favoured by the country’s sports officials, private corporations and even Filipino fans and supporters. It is high time that the country gives these sports disciplines the attention, the funding and all other forms of support that they richly deserve.
And what about the unnecessary, endless and unhelpful bickering and politicking among our national sports officials? One perfect example is that of world number two pole vaulter EJ Obiena, who in the midst of his campaign at the 2022 World Athletics Championship in Oregon was embroiled in a controversy with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association. We also have the story of former chess prodigy Wesley So who earned numerous chess accolades for the country until he moved to the United States in 2014. And what about the case of Filipina golfers Dottie Artina and Bianca Pagdanganan who were not even provided with their official uniforms in Paris? The list is frustratingly endless!
One good move is to kick-out all politicians at the helm as they continue to foster a culture of “palakasan” and “bata-bata” system, the very hindrance to the development of Philippine sports. Let us replace them with national athletes who have once represented the country; they are in the best position to determine what our national athletes need.
What about our government officials and private companies who are now showering our Olympic medallists with an array of incentives? I see nothing wrong with these rewards. But can you just imagine if this outpour of support were given to all our delegates during their preparation for the Paris Games right after the conclusion of the Tokyo Games? Or if these huge financial backing is spent on the development of a strong and consistent grassroots program so that we are able to train and develop very competitive home-grown athletes? The results in different international sports competitions may not be certain, but definitely different and far better every year.
