Men’s football gains Asiad qualification

MANILA, Philippines — The men’s football team gained qualification for the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games giving the Philippines complete participation in the sport after the women’s squad was among the early birds which made the grade to the Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 competitions.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino made the announcement as the country is bound to send its biggest delegation yet in eight editions of the quadrennial games with 443 athletes.

The Philippines had a record 524 athletes in the 1994 Hiroshima Games and 391 athletes at the Hangzhou edition in 2023.

“The minimum goal is to do better at these games,” said Tolentino, referring to breaking the four-gold, two-silver and 12-bronze harvest in Hangzhou.

The entire delegation – coaches and officials included – could reach 700 with gymnastics still confirming the qualification of five athletes in artistic events.