Get ready to root for these 22 Filipino athletes as they represent the country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Three years ago, many Filipinos radiated with pride seeing Team Philippines make history at the Tokyo Olympics. From Hidilyn Diaz’s historic gold medal win to Margielyn Didal becoming everyone’s favorite skateboarder overnight, Team Philippines punched above its weight to deliver a memorable run. Now, a new batch of athletes will represent the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics, set to run from July 26 to August 11.
Already, these remarkable individuals are getting the support they deserve from cash bonuses, custom barongs by Francis Libiran to wear at the opening ceremony, and team uniforms courtesy of adidas Philippines. For its 100th year competing at the Summer Olympics, the Philippines will be sending at least 22 athletes across 9 sports, the most number of Filipino athletes to a single Games since 1992. Some of these athletes are returning competitors, others are fresh faces at their first Olympics, but all are hoping to add to the country’s current tally of one gold, five silver, and eight bronze medals. Get to know them below.
JOHN CABANG TOLENTINO – TRACK & FIELD
This 22-year-old athlete will be representing the Philippines at the men’s 110 m hurdles event after he placed No. 23 in the World Athletics’ global rankings, qualifying him for automatic participation. Some of his other achievements include bronze medals at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and the 32nd SEA Games.
LAUREN HOFFMAN – TRACK & FIELD
Keep an eye out for this record-breaking athlete at the Paris Olympics. Lauren Hoffman, who holds the national record for the Women’s 400 m Hurdles event at 55.72 seconds, will represent the country at the same event in Paris thanks to her No. 41 spot in the World Athletics’ global ranking. Aside from the Olympics, the Gen Z athlete also represented the country at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where she placed fifth.
NESTHY PETECIO – BOXING
Following her silver medal finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Nesthy Petecio is back for more as she will be representing the Philippines at the Women’s featherweight division in Paris.
AIRA VILLEGAS – BOXING
SEA Games bronze medal-holder Aira Villegas will be the country’s bet in the Women’s flyweight division at the 2024 Olympics.
EUMIR MARICAL – BOXING
From his bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Eumir Marical hopes to finish the job and bring home the gold as he competes in the Men’s middleweight division in Paris.
CARLO PAALAM – BOXING
Two-time SEA Games gold medalist Carlo Paalam secured his ticket to Paris following the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand. Now the 25-year-old boxer is back to compete in the Men’s featherweight division, the same division he got silver at the Tokyo Olympics.
HERGIE BACYADAN – BOXING
Following his win against Venezuela Maryelis Yriza in the women’s 75-kg category at the 2nd World Qualification Tournament, Hergie Bacyadan will be hoping to add to the country’s Olympic medal haul as he competes in the Women’s middleweight category. Fun fact: before he entered boxing, the openly queer athlete got his start in national sports through martial arts.
EJ OBIENA – POLE VAULT
Arguably one of the country’s best chances to win a gold medal this year, EJ Obiena is back for round two to secure a podium finish in pole vault. Given all his successes in the past couple of years, we have a feeling EJ will make his country proud.
CARLOS YULO – GYMNASTICS
Following his 4th place finish in Tokyo, Carlos Yulo is taking all his learnings, lessons, and growth these past three years to the Paris Olympics. The 24-year-old gymnast’s second participation at the Games will be one to watch.
ALEAH FINNEGAN – GYMNASTICS
The athletes of Team Philippines at the 2024 Olympics are historic in more ways than one. For example, this is the first time in at least 60 years Filipina gymnasts will be at the Olympics. One of them is Aleah Finnegan. She secured her spot in the Games after being in the top 14 eligible athletes in the women’s all-around qualification at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium last year. Also last year, Aleah decided to compete for the Philippines instead of the USA internationally and that switch has manifested in 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals at the 2021 SEA Games and 2 bronze medals at the 2023 Asian Championships.
LEVI JUNG-RUIVIVAR – GYMNASTICS
Another Fil-Am representing the PH at the Paris Olympics will be 18-year-old gymnast Levi Jung-Ruvivar. Among the achievements of this young athlete include bagging silver in the women’s uneven bars at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Doha, Qatar last April 2024.
EMMA MALABUYO – GYMNASTICS
The final Fil-Am representing the country in Gymnastics is Emma Malabuyo. If her name sounds familiar, that’s because this accomplished athlete was a former member of the US National Team and an alternate for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics. Her 3rd place finish in the individual all-around event at the 2024 Asian Gymnastics Championships not only earned her a bronze medal, and her first in the Asian championships, but also her ticket to Paris.
JOANIE DELGACO – ROWING
For the first time in history, the Philippines will have a Filipina rower compete in the Olympics. Her name is Joanie Delgaco, who finished 4th in the 2,000-meter event in the women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta, which got her a slot in Paris.
SAM CATANTAN – FENCING
Another history-maker comes in the form of Sam Catantan, the first Filipino fencer to compete in the Olympics in 1992, or more than three decades ago when Walter Torres competed in the Barcelona Olympics. Sam, whose record includes six SEA Games medals, earned her spot in Paris by winning the women’s foil category at the Asia and Oceania Zonal Qualifying Tournament last April.
VANESSA SARNO – WEIGHTLIFTING
While Hidiylin Diaz missed her spot in Paris, the Philippines still has a roster of qualified athletes ready to carry her mantle. One of them is reigning SEA Games champion Vanessa Sarno, who will be competing in the Women’s 71 kg category. The Gen Z weightlifter from Bohol earned her spot by qualifying in one of the top 10 spots of the IWF Olympic Qualification Ranking.
ELREEN ANDO – WEIGHTLIFTING
Back for round two is Elreen Ando, as the 25-year-old athlete from Cebu looks to improve her 7th place showing at the Tokyo Olympics. Considering she set a SEA Games record last year, Elreen is hoping to lift her way to a podium finish in the Women’s 59 kg category.
JOHN CENIZA – WEIGHTLIFTING
Rounding out the weightlifters of Team Philippines is 26-year-old Cebuano John Ceniza. The two-time SEA Games silver medalist will be competing in the Men’s 61 kg category.
BIANCA PAGDANGANAN – GOLF
Multi-awarded golfer Bianca Pagdanganan will be repping the PH as one of the two Filipino golfers who qualified for the Paris Olympics. She earned her spot after she was ranked No. 36 by the International Golf Federation, making it to the Top 60 cut-off for Paris 2024.
DOTTIE ARDINA – GOLF
A veteran on the local golfing scene, Dottie Ardina clinched the No. 56 spot in the International Golf Federation, thus guaranteeing her a spot in the 2024 Olympics. While this will be the first time Dottie will be playing at the Games, this isn’t the first time she qualified for one as she made it to the 2026 Olympics in Brazil, but decided to back out because of the Zika virus threat.
KIYOMI WATANABE – JUDO
After she finished in the Round of 32 in Judo during her Olympics debut in Tokyo, four-time SEA Games gold medalist and Asian Games silver medalist Kiyomi Watanabe is back for more. She’ll be competing for her home country in the Women’s 63 kg event in Judo.
KAYLA SANCHEZ – SWIMMING
For those who follow sports, you probably know Kayla Sanchez as a swimmer part of Team Canada at the Tokyo Olympics and took home two medals. But now, she’s swimming for her Filipino roots as she’ll be under the country’s banner when she participates in the Women’s 100 m freestyle in Paris.
JAROD HATCH – SWIMMING
Accomplished swimmer Jarod Hatch will be gunning for a podium finish when he competes in the Men’s 100 m butterfly event in Paris. He qualified for the Games via the universality rule, which are spots given to athletes from underrepresented countries in the Olympics to participate in the Games.
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