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Flag bearers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam lead 16-member Philippine delegation in Paris Olympics opening rite
Flag bearers and boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam will be leading the 16-member Philippine delegation in the upcoming historic opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday (Manila time).
Petecio and Paalam will be joined by various athletes and sports officials as they mark the country's centennial year of participation in the Games.
Fellow boxers Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan will join the opening rites set to be held at the Seine River while hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang, swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch, gymnast Aleah Finnegan, and fencer Sam Catantan are also set to join.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino will not be joining the parade as he will be sitting in the Olympic Family section on a bank along the Seine River.
Instead, officials who will accompany the athletes are chef de mission Jonvic Remulla, executives Michael Angelo Vargas (swimming), Marcus Manalo (boxing), Cynthia Carrion Norton (gymnastics), Patrick Gregorio (rowing), and Terry Capistrano (athletics).
According to POC, other athletes who will not be joining the opening ceremony are either already preparing for their game on the same day or remain in training for their respective campaigns.
This includes gymnast Carlos Yulo and rower Joanie Delgaco who are all tipped to kick off their bid on Saturday.
Pole vault ace EJ Obiena, meanwhile, is in Normandy to focus on his build-up also while the three weightlifters in Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando, and John Ceniza are still in Metz and will only arrive at the Olympic Village on August 6.
“The schedule of our Olympian athletes have been meticulously crafted by their coaches so there won’t be hitches as they approach their competition days,” said Tolentino.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
