Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

Just a week away

Sports / by / 46 Comments

The 2012 Olympics are just a week away, and you can be sure that there are athletes from the Philippines en route to London for the games!

The Philippine contingent for the 2012 Olympics is a small one, in fact, this year’s Philippine Olympic team is the smallest team that the Philippines has ever sent to the Summer Olympics since they began participating in the games in 1932.

I can remember times seeing just 2 or 3 Athletes on the Philippine team for the Winter Games, though.

This year, the country is sending athletes to London to compete in the following sports:

  • Archery (2 participants)
  • Athletics (2 participants)
  • Boxing (1 participant)
  • Cycling (1 participant)
  • Judo (1 participant)
  • Shooting (1 participant)
  • Swimming (2 participants)
  • Weightlifting (1 participant)
Philippines 2012 Olympic Team
Philippines 2012 Olympic Team

So, as you can see, the team consists of just 11 athletes in all.

I find it kind of sad for the Philippines to send such a small team.  If this were the Winter Olympics, I would understand, but in the Summer Olympics the Philippines should be able to field more athletes.  I particularly find the Boxing category to be quite sad with only 1 Filipino boxer competing.  The Philippines has several world class boxers, not only Manny Pacquiao, and to be able to send only one boxer to the Olympics is really unacceptable in my view.  Of course, Professional athletes are generally not allowed to participate in the games, but given the quality of Filipino professional boxers, you would think that there would be a thriving community of amateurs in the sport as well.

Another sport that I find surprising for the lack of competition is basketball.  Basketball is practically the official national sport of the Philippines!  Yes, I am aware that Filipinos are generally shorter than many other competing athletes, but still, given the popularity of basketball in the Philippines, I would really like to see the country put up a team and at least see how they would do against other countries.

So far, the Philippines has never won an Olympic Gold Medal.  Did you know that the Philippines has a law called the Sports Incentives Act (Republic Act 9064) which offers a reward of P5 Million to the first Filipino Olympic athlete that brings home a Gold Medal?  It’s true.  Will the country be giving out the P5M prize this year?  With the small size of the team, I think it is doubtful, but you never know.  Sometimes the most unlikely people end up winning Gold.  Remember the Miracle on Ice in the 1980 Winter Olympics, when the US Hockey team won Gold?  So, surprises happen, and I do hope that I live to see the day when that P5M is awarded to a Filipino Gold Medalist!

In addition to the P5M prize for a Gold Medalist, the country also offers P2.5M to any Silver Medalist from the Philippines, and P1M to any Filipino Bronze Medalist.  Of course the amount of the prizes is nothing in comparison with the commercial rewards that await Filipino Medalists.  Just look at Manny Pacquiao’s success to imagine what is possible in the commercial realm!

So, do you think the Philippines will bring home the Gold this year?  What about any other medals?  One thing is for sure… if they ever get cock fighting instituted as an Olympic sport, the Philippines will have a large and successful team! 😉

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Cy – Believe it or not… we have planes here that will take you to other parts of the world! ha ha… just teasing. Yes, though, winter sports athletes can travel to other countries for training. Imagine, places that are cold and wintery also have athletes in the summer games. 😉

  8. Olympic Jeepney Driving? Now that would be a complicated set of rules to establish; just imagine people being judged on “willingness to overtake in the face of oncoming traffic while accepting fares and giving change at the same time as avoiding crater sized pot-holes and sleeping Carabao’s in the road”.

    🙂

  9. Watch for the Philippines wrestlers to break through in future Olympics, although none quite ready this time. I’m told they have some promising athletes, despite lacking financial support. Funding is likely part of the problem with all of the Philippines teams but it is surprising that boxing isn’t better represented with the Pacquiao influence.

  13. I can understand not being competitive in some of the track and field, but they should be able to compete in the table tennis, badmitten, etc if they was a little funding. Also, need to do well in the ASEAN games and other regional games as a starter.

  17. I find it hard to believe that the PBA wouldn’t sponsor a team much as the NBA does from the USA. It’s really sad. There are some great basketballers in the Philippines. It would be nice to see how they do against world class competition. If it’s a matter of money then someone like Manny should step up to the plate and sponsor some amateur boxers; lead by example and maybe others would follow. While the term stepping up to the plate is on my mind. Is baseball still an Olympic sport? Just curious. With all my nieces and nephews I may sponsor my own Olympic baseball team after a few years of training, hehe. Filipinos should be competitive in table tennis, badminton, soccer, some track and field events..if it comes down to sponsorship money then pressure should be put on some of the larger corporations to help out. They pay all these look alike spokesmodels; why not sponsor a few athletes that could encourage their fellow Filipinos to larger endeavours?

  19. Hi Bob – I thought at least the Azkals would have been there at the Football (Soccer) competion but guess not. As long as successive governments fail to invest in the health and fitness of its youth then sadly this is the result, shameful I’d say.
    Regards.
    Jim.

  20. Hi Bob – You’re right.. it’s sad.. because, we have good athletes from boxers. They are the ones who can bring medal to the Philippines. Maybe it’s Budget.. or also maybe didn’t qualify. …but 1 boxer only? that’s a surprise.

  21. There is a Phl basketball team.

    There are regional qualifying tournaments for the Olympics. The Phl team played in the FIBA Asian Championship qualifying tournament. Only the winner of that tournament (China, I think) goes to the Olympics. There are only 12 teams world wide that qualify for the Olympics.

  22. Bob,
    Good article. Beach Vollyball would be another good sport you think they would participate in. With increased training/funding, you never know how good they can do. Have a nice day.

Leave a Reply