NO AMOUNT of rain can dampen the spirits of thousands of athletes around the world, including Team Philippines, as the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics began on Friday. 

Several Filipino athletes were able to establish high expectations in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after successfully bringing home four medals from the Summer Games, including the country’s first-ever gold. 

After three years, the Philippines is on a new road, with 22 athletes qualifying for the Paris Games, the most since the Barcelona Games in 1992, which had 26.

However, as standards rise, so do the expectations of the whole sports community in the Philippines. The Paris Olympics can be a ground-breaking event, as well as a year to introduce Filipinos.

When expectations meets standards

Given that this is one of the largest numbers in Philippine Olympic history, President Abraham Tolentino of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) expects the medal haul to surpass that of Tokyo.

“Definitely, we will surpass the Tokyo record. Bahala na kayo kung one gold, two golds, three golds, basta ma su-surpass natin,” said Tolentino.

As we all know, Hidilyn Diaz was the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist. However, the first-ever gold medalist was unable to find a method to qualify for the Summer Games. 

Nonetheless, past Tokyo Games medalists returned to compete in the Olympics. Boxers Eumir Marcial (Bronze Tokyo), Nesthy Petecio (Silver Tokyo), and Carlo Paalam (Silver Tokyo). 

Gymnast Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena are the talk of the town, and they are among the most successful athletes returning to the Olympics to improve on earlier accomplishments.

Both sportsmen had achieved great success in various contests prior to the Paris Olympics. The desire to recover, however, is the primary motivator for both of them in this year’s battle. 

Elreen Ando, Diaz’s colleague, is more than ready to make waves and carry the weightlifting community on her back, as the highest-ranked Filipino weightlifter in the new 59kg division. 

Aside from these returning Olympians, new faces will take center stage as well. Nonetheless, the pressure is not unfamiliar to these newcomers.

Filipino athletes do not shy away from the spotlight. demonstrating to everyone that the higher the expectations, the higher the standards they will set. Laban Pilipinas!