Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, swimmers Kayla Sanchez, Jarod Hatch qualify for Paris Olympics

Make that 20 for the Philippine delegation so far in the 2024 Paris Olympics as three other athletes formalized their entry to the quadrennial showpiece.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on Tuesday announced that judoka Kiyomi Watanabe as well as swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch have made the necessary grades to punch their tickets for the Summer Games, making the total count of qualified Filipinos to 20.

Watanabe is set for her second straight Olympic appearance after plying her trade in the Tokyo edition in 2021, where she also competed in the women's 63kg division. However, she absorbed an early exit after falling to a Spanish foe in the round of 32.

Sanchez, who decided to switch federations from Canada to the Philippines, will compete in the women’s 100 meters freestyle while Hatch, who represented the country in 2023 SEA Games, is tipped to see action in the men’s 100 butterfly.

Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) secretary Eric Buhain also confirmed the development, saying the federation had nominated Sanchez and Hatch as the two Philippine swimmers under the universality places.

"Yes, they are [qualified]," Buhain told GMA News Online in a message.

"We have nominated them to WA (World Aquatics) as our 2 swimmers under Universality Places. This was done yesterday June 24. June 24 is the last day to submit nomination."

Buhain added that they now only await the confirmation of the secondary events of Sanchez and Hatch as the universality places are only given to one event each. Sanchez and Hatch's second events are 100 meters backstroke and 100 meters freestyle, respectively.

With the latest addition, a total of 20 athletes have already qualified with golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina officially sealing their spots earlier today.

POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said they are still expecting more athletes to punch their tickets in the coming days.

“Great news, and we can even ask for more. Each day, as the countdown to the Olympics dwindles, the morale goes higher and higher,” Tolentino said.

"But we’re expecting more. We’re chasing more history, we’re setting the ante higher."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News