National athletes begin bubble training in Calamba


Photo from Inspire Sports Academy

The bubble training for Philippine Olympic hopefuls and qualifiers from three combat sports begin Friday with some coaches and athletes from the boxing team entering the facility at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

Among those who will first enter the camp are coaches and boxers coming from Luzon and Mindanao.

They are Nesthy Petecio, Junmilardo Ogayre, Marjon Pianar, Carlo Paalam, Marvin Tabamo, John Paul Panuayan, Mario Fernandez, Aira Villegas, Analyn Cellon, and Josie Gabuco with coaches Elmer Pamisa, Nolito Velasco, Mitchelle Mertinez, Roel Velasco, Ronald Chavez, Jojen and Rogen Ladon.

Tokyo Olympics qualifier Irish Magno, who will come from Iloilo, will enter the bubble on Saturday with foreign coach Donald Abnett.

Athletes from Negros and Bago City namely Ian Clark Bautista, James Palicte, Jere Samuel Dela Cruz, Riza Pasuit and coach Reynaldo Galido will arrive Monday and will enter straight in the facility.

Meanwhile, karatedo and taekwondo athletes will also enter the facility on Saturday and Sunday.

Karatedo athletes include Jamie Lim, Jason Macaalay, Ivan Agustin, Shrief Afif, Alwayn Batian with coaches Norman Montalvo and Junel Perania.

Taekwondo jins that will train at the bubble are Kirstie Elaine Alora, Kurt Barbosa, Arven Alcantara, Joseph Chua, Samuel Morrison, Jessica Canabal, Laila Delo with coaches Carlos Padilla, Al Christian dela Cruz and Luis De Mesa.

All three teams will spend 90 days inside the facility to prepare for upcoming Olympic qualifiers except for Magno, who is already one of the four Filipino qualifiers bound to the Tokyo Games set July 23 to Aug. 8.