Crunch time: Yulo eyes gold Paalam seeks medal; Obiena unleashed
PARIS — Team Philippines launches a major assault in a bid to crack the 2024 Olympics medal board on Saturday, unleashing three lead guns who could spark the start of the finest hours for the Nationals in the Paris Games.
With gaps of little time in between, pole-vaulter EJ Obiena seeks qualification into the medal play at Stade de Paris, boxer Carlo Paalam eyes at least a sure bronze at the Paris North Arena while gymnast Carlos Yulo goes all out in chase of ultimate glory at the Bercy Arena.
If they live up to their billings, the Nationals are to hit the medal tally and sustain a medal streak for the Philippines in the Summer Games following a silver feat by Hidilyn Diaz in Rio in 2016 followed by the 1-2-1 gold-silver bronze breakthrough in Tokyo in 2021.
For one, Yulo is a world champion floor exercise artist, and he’s fancied for a podium finish in this event – the same in his other final event in vault Sunday.
Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion is optimistic Yulo can win at least one gold “and maybe two if he does well in the vault.”
There’s also a big hope of a medal production in boxing before the end of the day, with Paalam taking on Australian Charlie Senior in a 57kg quarterfinal clash.
Paalam wins that match, and he’ll be there in the Philippine sports lore as the first boxer to win two medals in the Olympics.
“Carlo is one win away from history. No Filipino boxer has won two medals in the Games. And if ever, he’ll be doing it in two different weight classes. We’re all hoping he can get it done,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general Marcus Manalo.
In Tokyo, Paalam became a silver medalist in the 51kg category, joining a short list of Filipino Olympic boxing medal winners, including Jose Villanueva (bronze in Los Angeles in 1932), Anthony Villanueva (silver in Tokyo in 1964), Leopoldo Serantes (bronze in 1988 in Seoul), Roel Velasco (bronze in 1992 in Barcelona), Onyok Velasco (silver in Atlanta in 1996) and Eumir Marcial (bronze in 2021 in Tokyo). Nesthy Petecio is the first female boxer from the Philippines to win an Olympic medal, a silver in Tokyo.
Manalo is optimistic of Paalam’s chance versus his quarters foe.
“Naka-spar na ni Carlo ang Australian many times, in our training in Australia and in Germany. Carlo’s looking good. We’re hoping ma-execute niya ang competition plan,” said Manalo.
Meanwhile, Obiena is a bright hope in pole-vault, coming into the competition as world No. 2, just behind the supernova of the sport in Armand “Mondo” Duplantis of Sweden.
Though battling physical problems, Obiena expressed confidence he can compete at the highest level.
Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Terry Capistrano said Obiena “should be ready.”
“He’s handling it properly and it’s (Obiena’s health issue) being attended to. He should be okay. He has a physician with him, an Italian osteopath, who’s part of the team. And Dr. Raul Canlas is also here. Whatever it is, as far as I know, it’s manageable,” said Capistrano.
On Obiena’s chance to medal, Capistrano said: “It’s easier said than done. Anyone among the Top 10 can podium and the only guy who’s ahead of the pack is Duplantis.
“But at the end of the day, we must remember that EJ is world No. 2. That’s the sum of what he’s been doing the past 12 to 18 months. ‘Yun ang suma total. So, he should be ready,” Capistrano added.
Thirty-two bets are entered in the event, including all the stars of the sport, led by Duplantis.
Also in the field are Tokyo silver winner Christopher Nilsen of the US, another top American bet Sam Kendricks, and other big names like Piotr Lisek of Poland, Kurtis Marschall of Australia, Ben Broaders of Belgium, Emmanouil Karalis of Greece and Thibaut Collet of France.
But Duplantis is the main man. He is a dominant pole vaulter as swimmer Katie Ledecky over the 1500m freestyle and Simone Biles in everything in gymnastics.
Duplantis first broke the world record in February in 2020 and has since won an Olympic gold, four World Championships and has set the record eight times, centimeter by centimeter.
The good news for the Philippines is Obiena has beaten Duplantis once, proving the Swede is not unbeatable after all.
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