German, Russian training eyed for Olympic bet

MANILA, Philippines - A month’s extensive training in Germany and Russia is under negotiation as part of the final phase of Mark Barriga’s preparation in the hope of gifting the country its first Olympic gold medal in the coming London Olympic Games.

National coaches Pat Gaspi and Roel Velasco also jointly announced during the SCOOP Sa Kamayan session Friday that, time permitting, the 18-year-old lone boxing qualifier might still see action in an international competition in Cardiff before proceeding to London in July.

Judo president Dave Carter said Filipino-Japanese grappler Tomohiko Hoshina, also the only judoka to carry the country’s colors in the quadrennial conclave, will continue his training in Japan.

Carter said during the forum, sponsored by Powerade, AKTV and FILA sports wear, that the 24-year-old Hoshina, who was in the country last week, had returned to Japan where he resumed his fine-tuning program at the Toien University.

Gaspi and Velasco, a bronze medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, said Barriga, a light-flyweight campaigner, will proceed straight to London from his training in Germany and Russia and, perhaps, Cardiff.

Hoshina, whose mother hails from Malolos, Bulacan, will be back on the eve of the national delegation’s departure to London.

Hoshina’s personal coach Yasuhiro Sato might also join his ward in London, depending on whether the Philippine Olympic Committee will permit him to do so.

Carter, Velasco and Gaspi jointly disputed perception that Barriga and Hoshina made it from the “backdoor” as newspaper reports had it.

Hoshina, for one, according to Carter, earned a seat through the Asian Continental Quota Allocation.

“For the information of everybody, to make it to the Olympics, a judoka must be ranked in the top 252 athletes in the world in both the men’s and women’s divisions. They are known as direct qualifiers,” Carter explained.

“The next level is the Continental Quota Allocation made up of the top 12 Asian campaigners where Hoshina belongs, being ranked No. 10,” Carter added.

“The last classification is the wild card where one qualifies when those who made it as direct and continental qualifiers surrender their seedings,” he said.

Gaspi said Barriga earned his ticket to London in accordance with procedures, being among the top 10 junior- flyweights in the world.