Marikina City 1st district Rep. Marjorie Ann "Maan" Teodoro (Facebook)

Marikina City 1st district Rep. Marjorie Ann "Maan" Teodoro wants to help the city produce its first Olympic gold medalist. 

This, as she revealed plans of establishing a comprehensive sports program in Marikina and develop more professional athletes in the process.  

”Balang araw, magkaroon ng isang Olympic gold medalist na magdadala ng karangalan sa ating lungsod,” she said in a statement Wednesday, Oct. 2. 

(One day, there will be an Olympic gold medalist who will bring honor to our country). 

Since 2021, world-beating Filipino Olympians like weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and gymnast Carlos Yulo have made their mark in the Olympic gold medal scene, with three such medals between them. 

Teodoro cited Marikina’s strong sports culture, and noted that the city had served as a world-class venue for both local and international events. 

She also highlighted Marikina’s talented young athletes, who have competed in prestigious tournaments such as the Palarong Pambansa and the Southeast Asian Games, among others. 

As part of her plan, Teodoro aims to establish an enhanced sports program and conduct more sports clinics from elementary to college to provide more opportunities to young athletes to excel in both local and international tournaments. 

She’s also seeking additional funding for sports infrastructure, training, nutrition, and other resources to help athletes reach their full potential. 

The lady lawmaker recently commended Marikina resident Allain Keanu Ganapin for making history as the country’s first Paralympian in taekwondo and for booking his second straight Paralympic appearance in Paris, France. 

Teodoro's office recently joined forces with volleyball star Alyssa Valdez for the holding of the three-day “Alyssa Valdez Youth Volleyball Camp” in Marikina City from Sept. 27 to 29. 

”Sa mga batang taga-Marikina, magtiwala sa inyong sarili. Ang batang taga-Marikina ay mahusay, matibay, at kayang makipagtagisan sa kahit anong larangan ng sports,” said the congresswoman. 

(To the youth of Marikina: believe in yourself. The youth of Marikina is skilled, strong, capable of competing in any sport.)