BEIJING – Filipino coaches said they had done their homework, they have scouted the opposition and prepared taekwondo jins Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero for what could be the Philippines’ first medal after an eight-year drought in the Olympics.
“Nasilip na namin lahat ang mga players. With good breaks, good preparation, the possibility of winning a medal is high,” said national coach Rocky Samson.
Go is to compete in the flyweight (-58kg) class in the men’s division on Aug. 20, while Rivero fights two days later in the welterweight (–67kg) in the women’s division.
Go and Rivero had a scheduled workout 5-6 p.m. yesterday at the Capital Institute of PE Cluster five kilometers from the Bird’s Nest. They will resume workout at 8 a..m. today. Their light workouts continue tomorrow, from 3-4 p.m. and winds up 11-12 noon Tuesday.
The draw for the men’s competition will be held also tomorrow at 10:30 a.m
The taekwondo jins’ campaign is all the Philippines can depend on after the failed bids of 10 of the 15 members of Team Philippines in swimming, diving, weightlifting, archery and shooting.
Still in the competition are Henry Dagmil and Marestella Torres in the long jump in athletics, Ryan Rexel Fabriga in the 10m platform diving, and Go and Rivero in taekwondo.
Dagmil, a wild card entry, was competing last night in Group A of the men’s long jump. He had a jump of 7.58 on his first attempt in the event held at the National Stadium, also called the Brid’s Nest.
His first jump, below the 7.87m he established in the 2007 SEA Games, put him temporarily at joint ninth, with Louis Tsatoumas of Greece topping the 12-man field with 8.27.
Others in the top 10 are Louis Tstatoumas of Greece (8.27m), Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba, Greg Rutherford of Great Britain ((8.16), whose jump over eight meters put them on the race for the gold, silver and bronze medals.