Lopez says PGTC key to Olympic success

Manila, Philippines -  Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) first vice president Manny Lopez said yesterday the opening of Pre-Games Training Camps (PGTC) in 100 sports centers all over England a month before the London Olympics will go a long way in preparing athletes physically, mentally and psychologically for the competitions on July 27-Aug. 12.

“There’s no substitute for this kind of acclimatization,” said Lopez, the country’s chef de mission in London. “I’ll never forget setting up camp in Barcelona three months before the Olympics for our boxers in 1992, six months in Atlanta in 1996 and three months in Athens in 2004. In Beijing, we went only three weeks ahead because we’re basically in the same time zone. Familiarization is important for our athletes. The Olympic experience is different and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the euphoria. When we host the Southeast Asian Games, the whole country is ecstatic and excited. What more in the Olympics? We’re grateful to the LOGOC (London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games) for providing us with a subsidy equivalent to P1.6 Million to send our athletes to training camps.”

The first wave of Filipino athletes made up of shooter Brian Rosario and swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Lacuna left yesterday to set up camp in Guildford, a Surrey town 43 kilometers southwest of London. Alkhaldi and Lacuna will train at the Surrey Sports Park on the University of Surrey campus with coach Pinky Brosas. Rosario will practice with coach Gay Corral at the E. J. Churchill shooting range in Chilterns less than 50 kilometers from central London.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz leaves Sunday with coach Tony Agustin to join the group in Guildford. She will train at the Surrey Sports Park. Steeplechaser Rene Herrera and long jumper Marestella Torres depart July 4 with coach Joseph Sy to train at the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Center in Stoke Park. Lightflyweight boxer Mark Anthony Barriga also leaves July 4 with coach Roel Velasco to train in Cardiff, Wales.

Judoka Tomohiko Hoshina and archers Rachel Anne Cabral and Mark Javier will arrive in London on July 19 and BMX rider Daniel Caluag on July 22. Hoshina will fly in with coach Yasuhiro Sato from Tokyo while the archers will be accompanied by coach Chung Jae Hun. Caluag will arrive from the US with coach Stephanie Barragan and mechanic Jason Richardson. Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines president Abraham Tolentino gave up his Olympic accreditation for Richardson to join Caluag.

Lopez said the delegation’s target is a medal finish. “We’re not ruling out any athlete,” he said. “We know how difficult it is to get an Olympic medal, even a bronze, particularly in time-measured events. We haven’t bagged a medal since 1996. The key is our athletes are prepared to compete. Since 1992, qualifying to participate in the Olympics has been extremely tough. The qualifying standards are now extremely stringent. Just to qualify in itself is a feat. We’re bringing in 11 athletes. Actually, my personal target was only 10. As chef de mission, my primary concern is our athletes. I want to set a standard in running a delegation.”

Lopez said realizing the POC can’t rely on government funds alone, a campaign was launched to generate private support and it raised P7 Million in cash and kind. “We’re operating on a lean budget of P10-12 Million,” he said. “We’ve received about P2.5 Million from the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), including P700,000 for Hidilyn’s participation in the PGTC as a late entry. We’re fortunate that we’ve gotten support from private sponsors. Our athletes are flying Cathay Pacific, using Mizuno track suits, wearing Rajo Laurel outfits for the opening ceremonies and bringing Samsonite luggage. We’re billeting the majority of our athletes for the PGTC at the Holiday Inn Guildford as we want them to be comfortable during their acclimatization.”

Lopez said the POC is footing the bill for the presence of certain officials whose National Sports Associations are represented in London. POC president Jose Cojuangco, Jr and secretary-general Steve Hontiveros are LOGOC guests so their trip is paid for. The NSA officials in the POC list are Philippine Weightlifting Association president and POC chairman Monico Puentevella as Olympic attaché, National Archery Association of the Philippines president Dr. Leonora Brawner, Philippine National Shooting Association president Mikee Romero, Philippine Judo Federation president Dave Carter, Philippine Swimming Inc. president Mark Joseph, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson and Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association secretary-general Ben Silva-Netto.

Lord Sebastian Coe, the LOGOC head, said the vision of setting up the PGTC is to introduce foreign athletes to the London Olympic experience ahead of the competitions. “Training camps are essential preparation for the London Games,” he said. “Each facility will provide a vital service to ensure athletes can prepare for competition while engaging the local community with sport and culture.”