Manila: The Philippines will officially send nine athletes to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) this October, after the gymnastics association nominated two of its artistic gymnasts for the global competition for athletes aged 15 to 18. 'They're the rising stars of Philippine sports,' Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino said in a news release Monday. 'We are hoping for a podium finish and of course, we are praying for the gold. This is a fighting team, and I believe they will do their best," he added.
According to Philippines News Agency, Tolentino launched last Saturday what would be the feeder for future YOGs - the inaugural Southeast Asia Plus Youth Games - in a well-attended event at Solaire Resort. Gymnasts Hilarrion Palles III (men) and Tchelzy Mei Maayo (women) will join athletics bets Pi Durden Wangkay (men's 200m) and Naomi Marjorie Caesar (women's 800m), swimmers Riannah Chantelle Coleman (women's 100m breaststroke) and Jamesray Mishael Ajido (men's 100m Butterfly), cyclist Maritanya Krog (women's road and individual time trial), wushu artist Angel Polo (women's Taijiquan combined) and sailing athlete Jade Justiniane (men's windsurfing).
The Philippines only has one silver medal to show - courtesy of Filipino-Norwegian Christian Tio in boys' twin tip racing of kiteboarding in Buenos Aires - so far in the YOG which was first staged in Singapore in 2010, followed by Nanjing in 2014 and Buenos Aires in 2018. Luis Gabriel Moreno is also on the YOG medalists list with a gold medal he shared with China's Li Jiaman in archery's mixed international team event in Nanjing.
The Senegal edition - delayed because of the pandemic - is scheduled for Oct. 31 to November 13. A total of 2,700 athletes will compete in 25 sports, with taekwondo association secretary-general Rock Samson as Team Philippines' Chef de Mission.
