MARIANO “NONONG” ARANETA is brimming with confidence in his tour of duty as the country’s chef de mission to the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
Araneta believes the Philippines’s first Olympic gold medal could come from the present batch of Tokyo Olympians.
“We have three world champions, this is the best chance for us,” Araneta told Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
“The strong showing of Filipino athletes on the world stage could be their best asset toward the Olympics next year,” Araneta, also the football association president, said.
Mariano picked world champions gymnast Carlos Yulo (floor exercise) and boxer Nesthy Petecio (women featherweight) as potential gold winners in the Olympics that were moved to July 23 to August 8, 2021, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Petecio, Araneta said, has yet to qualify but expressed confidence the boxer could get her ticket to Tokyo in the qualifiers in Paris in May next year.
Araneta also smells victory for boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, a former world youth champion, and another female boxer, flyweight Irish Magno. Both advanced to Tokyo during the Jordan qualifiers early this year.
Araneta also has his sight on pole vaulter EJ Obiena and golfer Yuka Saso, who recently booked consecutive victories in the tough Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.
Obiena, Araneta said, has been doing well in competitions in Europe, while Saso zoomed to No. 76 in the world and is closing in on a top 60 spot to be able to qualify for Tokyo.
“We need to support these athletes,” said Araneta, adding 82 other Filipino athletes are still trying to qualify for then Games.
“Of these hopefuls, 19 are training abroad while 63 are here in the country,” he said.
Among them are Rio 2016 Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz who is training in Malaysia and 2018 Asian Games skateboarding gold medalist Margielyn Didal who is in her native Cebu.