Nagoya asiad unwraps

Team Philippines aims higher

NAGOYA – After 32 long years, the Asian Games is back in Japan, with the city of Nagoya formally welcoming today over 15,000 athletes and officials from 45 nations – the Philippines’ best and brightest in the middle of it, geared to sustain Philippine sports’ hot charge.

Lady pug Aira Villegas and weightlifter Albert Ian delos Santos will carry the national flag in the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium, and the two are expected to be among those ready to rise and ignite Team Philippines’ bid to surpass its similar four-gold harvests in 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2023 Hangzhou.

In the 20th edition of the continental conclave, the Philippines is bringing in what could well be its strongest delegation in years – originally 464-strong, now slightly adjusted after last-minute pullouts but remaining a potent cast bannered by two-time Olympic gymnastics gold winner Carlos Yulo, WTA World No. 18 Alex Eala, defending pole-vault champ EJ Obiena and Olympic boxing medalists Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Villegas.

Jiu-jitsu world titlist Annie Ramirez, Olympian swimmer Kayla Sanchez and the country’s world-beater e-gamers are also in the fancied list that has given sports officials confidence Team Philippines is set for further breakthrough, riding the crest of a steady climb in the Olympics – from a silver in Rio 2016 to a 1-2-1 gold-silver-bronze haul in Tokyo 2021 to a 2-0-2 in Paris 2024.

For Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, a bold but realistic target is eight golds.

Hit the target and the Philippines will match its rich eight-gold haul the first time Japan hosted the Asian Games in 1958 in Tokyo. The Nationals then won three golds in athletics, reigned supreme in basketball with a team led by the great Caloy Loyzaga, snared a gold each in shooting and swimming, and struck a double in tennis courtesy of singles winner Raymundo Deyro and the Deyro-Felicisimo Ampon pair.

It was the turn of the boxers to deliver in the second Asiad held in Japan in 1994 in Hiroshima, with Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, Elias Recaido and Reynaldo Galido all punching their way to glory.

Three decades later, the conclave is back in the Land of the Rising Sun, particularly in the capital of Aichi Prefecture – proud of its samurai roots and of being an industrial powerhouse housing the headquarters of Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, among many. It’s often called the Heart of Japan, with its fertile plains, mountains, rivers and sea. The city of 2.3 million rolls out the red carpet for a massive meet staking 469 gold medals in 43 sports – bigger than the Paris Olympics – spread far beyond Nagoya.

The Philippines’ own Eala, China’s 13-year-old swimming prodigy Yu Zidi and India’s 15-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are considered by the hosts as the biggest attractions, although the race to the top of the medal tally is a foregone conclusion. China will lord it over, with Japan and South Korea fighting for runner-up honors.

But Japan – like any host – could have designed the 2026 calendar to have a show of force in the initial blast.

A total of 31 golds will be disputed on Day 1, the day after the opening ceremony, in swimming (7), basketball (1), road cycling (2), karate (4), modern pentathlon (4), shooting (2), soft tennis (2), teqball (5), triathlon (2) and wushu (2).

The Philippines entered Michael Ver Anton Comaling, Samuel German, Joseph Anthony Godbout, Gilbert Andrino, Shyra Mae Aranzado, Princess Honey Arbilon and Juliana Shane Sevilla in modern pentathlon and Prince Agustin, Dailan Christoffe Montenegro, Anel Pacis and Jhoana Abulencia in teqball.

Teqball is among the debuting events along with padel, mixed martial arts, virtual taekwondo, surfing and BMX freestyle.

The Philippines unleashes its big guns in the next few days, with Carlos Yulo the first to see action along with brother Karl Eldrew in artistic gymnastics all-around on Monday. Eala starts her campaign on the 27th while Obiena defends his crown on the 29th.

Also commencing Sunday are hostilities in water polo, badminton, mixed martial arts, field hockey, handball, sepak takraw, table tennis and beach volleyball.