Co, Bolinas named to World Youth camp

MANILA, Philippines - Paul Jeremiah Co was chosen by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) along with a female Filipino athlete to represent the country in the World Youth Olympics Friendship Camp in Singapore on Dec. 8-12.

Co, an academically outstanding badminton athlete, was selected along with archer Leina Marie Bolinas by the POC, headed by president Jose Cojuangco, to attend the friendship camp in preparation for the 2010 World Youth Olympics in Singapore.

“I’m very excited to be part of this camp. I’m sure I will learn a lot from there,” said the 15-year-old Co, also a mixed double 16-and-under champion in the recent national Philippine Badminton Association (PBA)-MMOA championship in Valencia.

The PBA endorsed Co to the POC not only because of his badminton skills but also of his academic achievements, being a consistent first honor student in Tarlac Living Faith Academy.

“He is a good example of an athlete, not only athletic but also smart,” said a PBA official, noting that Co’s 250 words essay about sports entitled “Sports, gateway to a better world” impressed the POC executive board.

Co, a Palarong Pambansa bronze winner in the doubles event in Tacloban, and Bolinas will attend the youth camp’s workshops in sports development activities, a dialogue with Olympians, youth concert and community projects.

Co, an outstanding and consistent Australian Mathematics and English Competition and Canadian Mathematics Competition awardee, will be leaving on Dec. 7 for Singapore.

Co, a member of the national juniors in the badminton Asia’s 16U in Sri Lanka Youth Championships on Aug. 3-9, will join more than 260 athletes all over the world in the friendship camp, which requires one male and one female athlete per nation.