Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena leads eight other Filipino athletes who were granted Olympic Solidarity Scholarships (OSS) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino disclosed the list Thursday that also include golf sensation Rianne Malixi, weightlifter Elreen Ando, fencer Samantha Catantan, boxer Aira Villegas and Rogen Ladon, BMX cyclist Patrick Coo, skateboarder Jericho Francisco and wrestler Allen Arcilla.

All the athlete scholars were endorsed by their respective national sports associations, except for Obiena, the most accomplished on the list as the Asian men’s pole vault record holder.

Each athlete under the scholarships will receive $833 monthly grant until the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“The POC wishes to congratulate these nine promising athletes for earning scholarships as they focus on their qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Tolentino said.

“This is the first time that our country had such a large number of scholars.”

Tolentino said Obiena’s inclusion even without the endorsement of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is testament to the IOC respecting and honoring the decision of national Olympic committees (NOCs).

The scholarship includes access to appropriate training facilities, a coach who specializes in their respective disciplines, regular medical and scientific assistance and control, accident and illness insurance, board and lodging costs, pocket money and most essentially travel costs for the athletes’ participation in relevant competitions and Paris 2024 qualification events.

The OSS is an IOC program that aims to assist elite athletes selected and proposed by their respective NOCs in their preparation and qualification for Paris 2024.

“All these athletes need to do is to focus on their training and set their goal toward the Paris Olympics,” said Tolentino, adding that the POC will liquidate the athletes’ expenses to the Olympic Solidarity on a quarterly schedule based on the submission of reports by the scholars and their NSAs.