Sports NEWS

The Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation (MVPSF) announced Monday, April 19, it has tapped Gretchen Ho as its ambassador.

The Philippine rowing team will vie for three berths to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when they compete in the Asia Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta on May 5 to 7 in Tokyo, Japan.

Francis Casey Alcantara settled for the runner-up honors in the Rollingwood Spring Cup Open tennis tournament over the weekend at the Rollingwood Athletic Club in Fair Oaks, California.

Fil-American trackster Eric Cray continued his quest for an Olympic berth in the 2021 Tokyo Games after bagging the bronze medal in the Michael Johnson Invitational at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium in Waco, Texas over the weekend.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) First Vice President Al Panlilio hopes athletes and coaches bound to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics late July would be vaccinated by next month.
Panlilio, who heads the Task Force for vaccine procurement for athletes, said they are working with the International Container Service Inc. (ICTSI) owned by Enrique Razon after the business tycoon committed to provide vaccines for Olympic-bound athletes and coaches.
“Hopefully by May maipasok na yan in time for the Olympics,” said Panlilio during his guesting with Noli Eala’s Power and Play program Saturday, April 17.
The Olympics will be held on July 23 to Aug. 8. Although organizers do not require athletes to get vaccinated, PH sports officials are still after the health and safety of the athletes.
“It is our responsibility to make sure our athletes are safe. It’s good to be on the safe side by vaccinating our athletes. Mas mabuti na meron silang protection rather than bahala na,” Panlilio said.
“My task is to really work with the government asking permission from the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) to prioritize athletes especially the Olympians kasi sila ang mauuna.”
Panlilio said athletes bound to the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam late November would follow, hopefully by June.
“First major tranches will come in June especially for the Moderna vaccines. Hopefully, I could reserve for the 1,200 athletes and delegates. Yun ang unang gagawin namin. We have a bit of time for our SEAG athletes,” Panlilio said.
The Olympic Council of Asia has allocated a $40,000 (around P2 million) subsidy to the POC for vaccine procurement, although Panlilio said they are still looking for other source of funding as contingency if the allocation is not enough.
So far, the country has six Olympic qualifiers although more athletes are still searching for berths in qualifying tournaments in the coming months.
The country, meanwhile, has submitted 626 entry by number to the SEAG Organizing Committee for the biennial meet scheduled Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.

Grandmaster Wesley So seeks to cling on to the overall lead in the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour as he spearheads a cast that also include world champion Magnus Carlsen in the New in Chess Classic set April 24 to May 2.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) hopes national athletes could resume training on July 1 amid restrictions brought by the pandemic.

Organizers of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) are looking at alternative plans on holding its Open Conference amid restrictions brought by the pandemic.

Olympic-bound athlete EJ Obiena joined the 65th anniversary celebration of the Japan-Philippines Friendship in a short video message posted at the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines’ Facebook page late Wednesday, April 14.

Officials and team owners of the Premier Volleyball League have agreed to move the opening of the Open Conference to either last week of June or first week of July.

Philippine Sports Commissioner Mon Fernandez hopes national athletes will be vaccinated in the coming months in time for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam late this year.

Three national triathletes leave their respective training camps to compete in the Asian Championships set April 24 to 25 in Hatsukaichi, Japan.

Philippine Sports Commissioner Mon Fernandez is encouraging national sports associations (NSAs) to look for local government units who can help them set up bubble training for athletes bound for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam late this year.

Junior tennis standout Alex Eala improved to a career-high No. 662 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings following her stint at the W60 Bellinzona tournament in Switzerland last week.

The Office of the President has approved the request of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to lock down its facilities in Manila and Pasig City due to the rising COVID-19 cases of its employees.

Fil-Canadian Shiloh Corrales-Nelson eclipsed the eight-year-old Philippine record in women’s hammer throw after capturing the gold medal in the Triton Invitational 2021 at the Triton Track and Field Stadium in California.

National rowers bound for Olympic qualification to the Tokyo Games are making the most out of their time and resources to prepare amid restrictions brought by the pandemic.

Rising junior star Alex Eala is expected to increase her rankings significantly following her impressive showing at the W60 Bellinzona tournament in Switzerland this year.