The Philippines was proudly represented by 22 Filipino athletes in the recently concluded Paris Olympics held last July 26 to August 11, 2024 at Paris, France. While some faced heartbreak, their journey reflected the hard work that brought them to the world’s grandest stage. To commend their effort for bringing pride to the nation, here is a recap of some of the key highlights from the Paris Olympic games.
PH’s medal haul
Carlos Yulo became the standout for the Philippines, being the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to achieve two Olympic gold medals in gymnastics. Impressive showings were from pole vaulter EJ Obiena who moved up to 4th place from 11th in the Tokyo Olympics, while weightlifter Elreen Ando set a new personal record by lifting a total of 230kg.
Filipina Boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio also both secured bronze medals in the 50 kg and 57 kg of women's boxing categories, respectively. These medals prove that the blood of Filipino pride was truly commendable in the boxing ring.
A first for Filipinas
On the other hand, Samantha Catantan marked the return of the Philippines in the fencing competition since Walter Torres in 1992. However, due to its ACL injury, Catantan faced an early exit from the tournament.
Joanie Delgaco also marks the first Filipina rower in 100 years of participation in the Olympics. Despite her first-time experience, her power and dedication carried her to the 20th-best rower at the Summer Games.
Meanwhile, Filipina golfers, Biana Pagdangan and Dottie Ardina, delivered strong performances in the fourth and final individual stroke play event. Pagdangan narrowingly placed 4th place, while Ardina finished in 13th place.
A Look Ahead
Philippines' consistent Olympic excellence is more than just a matter of matching medal counts, but the journey of Filipino athletes, whose stories inspire far beyond the podium. It also speaks volume of why we should support inclusivity in sports considering that our first three gold medals were earned by athletes who challenged gender stereotypes in their arena.
Team Philippines’ Paris 2024 olympic campaign has been one for the books, indubitably marking themselves in Olympic history with their outstanding performance. The Filipino olympians not only brought immense pride to the nation but also marked a century of Olympic participation with extraordinary achievements. We can only wait and expect more as more Filipino athletes banner our flag in the next Olympic games.