"We welcome the presence of Mr. Chowdry,’’ said ABAP president Manny Lopez.
Also gracing the first of three Asian Olympic qualifiers are members of the international jury.
They are Shakel Durrani (Pakistan), Kamel Shabib (Syria), Yoo Jae-Joon (Korea), Boris Tshrichmavici (Kazakhstan), Mahmoud Wan (Malaysia), D. Nagatomi (Japan), Wang Gi and Chang P., (China) and Amoyan Ardalan.
Twenty-four slots for the Athens Olympics are up for grabs in the country’s biggest sporting event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Accel, Revicon and Pacific Heights. NBN 4 will also televise the event, which has attracted 31 countries, including world-class Kazakhstan, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
Hosting the event are the provincial government of Palawan headed by Gov. Joel Reyes and the office of the city mayor under Mayor Edward Hagedorn.
Two more Olympic qualifiers will be held later this year in China and Pakistan where a total of 38 more slots would be at stake.
Meanwhile, the Philippine boxing team left yesterday for Puerto Princesa.
Head coach Gregorio Caliwan headed the nine-man team, which will battle Asia’s best pugs in the event.
Caliwan said he is hopeful that the nationals bannered by Vietnam SEA Games gold medalist Harry Tañamor will snare not less than four Olympic slots.
"We’re ready not to disappoint the hometown crowd,’’ said Caliwan. Also carrying the country’s colors are: Violito Payla, Florencio Ferrer, Junard Ladon, Francis Joven, Chris Camat, Maraon Goles, Mark Jason Melligen and Sydney Olympian Arlan Lerio.
The Philippines is using the Puerto Princesa City qualifying as a giant step towards winning its first Olympic gold.
The Philippines started competing in the 1932 Los Angeles Games (flyweight John Gray, welterweight Jose Padilla Jr, bantamweight Jose Villanueva).
Featherweight Anthony Villanueva (1964 Tokyo) and Mansueto ‘Onyok’ Velasco (1996 Atlanta) won silver medals.