2020 OLYMPICS: EJ OBIENA BECOMES THE FIRST FILIPINO TO QUALIFY TO THE 2020 OLYMPICS

The Philippines' quest for our first Olympic gold medal has begun.

Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena just became the first Filipino athlete to qualify to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.  EJ was able to qualify by clearing 5.81 meters in an athletic meet in Italy.

With this jump, EJ was again able to set a new Philippine national record, eclipsing the record he set earlier this year at 5.76 meters.

CNN Philippines' Sportsdesk posted in their Twitter account a video of Obiena's jump:

WATCH: Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena clears 5.81 meters in an athletics meet in Italy, making him the first Filipino to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 👏🏽🇵🇭 https://t.co/wAKaxrZvLD pic.twitter.com/moNKNWpQIV

— CNN Philippines Sports Desk (@sportsdeskph) September 4, 2019

I hope this will be the start of the influx of athletes that would qualify to the Olympics. Laban Pilipinas!

2016 RIO OLYMPICS : SPORTS 5 REPORTERS LIA CRUZ AND MAGOO MARJON ROBBED AT THE MEDIA VILLAGE

Reporters of official Olympic partner network TV 5 / Sports 5 has been burglarized while covering the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Filipino broadcasters Lia Cruz and Magoo Marjon has been robbed of cash from their rooms at the official media village while covering the sports meet. The rooms were said to be controlled by biometrics and only the room occupants should have access to each room.

Unfortunately, it was revealed that housekeeping also has access to the rooms - according to the village management.

Cruz reportedly lost 400 euros (approx. PhP21,000) while Marjon lost 600 euros (approx. PhP32,000).

In her Twitter account, Cruz confirmed the reports :

Thieves got into mine and @magoomarjon's rooms here in Rio and stole CASH. Worst part is, we're staying in the official media village.

— Lia Cruz (@liadcruz) August 5, 2016

This is despite fact that locks on all rooms are biometrics, but management of vill has disclosed that housekeeping has access to all rooms

— Lia Cruz (@liadcruz) August 5, 2016

This is not the first time that robbery was reported in the Olympic village. The Australian team was robbed of laptops and shirts during a fire evacuation in their assigned village. A Chinese athlete and cameraman was robbed of their luggages and camera equipments. The Denmark team was also reported to lost laptops, gadgets, bed sheets and clothes in the village.

I hope the Rio organizing committee steps up and improve the security in the village. No one - especially the athletes - wants to be distracted and stressed during the games.

2016 RIO OLYMPICS : JUDOKA KODO NAKANO BECOMES THE PHILIPPINES' LUCKY 13TH ATHLETE

Filipino - Japanese judoka Kodo Nakano becomes the lucky 13th athlete of Team Philippines in the 2016.

The 23 year old judoka was only invited last Tuesday after an Iranian player withdrew from the competition. Being the player next on the reserve list, the slot was given to Nakano.

The last time that the Philippines sent a judoka in the summer Olympic Games was in the last edition - 2012 London Games where Tomohiko Hoshina competed in the men's +100kg division.

He will be competing in the Men's 81kg division. He will be flying to Rio as the only judoka and will be 1 of only 2 martial arts athletes, the other one is Kristine Alora of taekwondo.

He will be arriving there by Friday, August 5 - the same day as the opening ceremonies. He will compete starting August 9.

Good Luck Kodo! Laban Pilipinas!

Image is from Kodo Nakano's profile in JudoInside.com website

2016 RIO OLYMPICS - GOOD LUCK TO THE FILIPINO ATHLETES

As the games officially start today and the games officially open in a few days, I would like to extend my good luck to the 12 hero Filipino Olympians this year who braved the risk of Zika virus and will carry our flag in this year's competition.

LOOK: Here are the 12 Filipino athletes going for gold at the Olympic games in Rio https://t.co/toRCuyScDk #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/8TNR0pND8C

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) August 3, 2016

Hope this is the year we end our 20 year medal drought. Do your best and may you take home a medal, what ever color it is.

Laban Pilipinas!

2016 RIO OLYMPICS : IAN LARIBA IS NAMED AS PHILIPPINES' FLAG BEARER

Table tennis qualifier Ian Lariba of the De La Salle University has been names as the Philippines' flag bearer in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Lariba is the first ever Filipino table tennis athlete to qualify in the summer Olympic games. The announcement was made during the athletes' orientation today with the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Lariba will be leading 11 other athletes to be fielded by the country - Eric Shaun Cray, Mary Joy Tabal and Maristella Torres of athletics, Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez of boxing, Kristie Elaine Alora of taekwondo, Hidilyn Diaz and Nestor Colonia of weightlifting, Miguel Tabuena of golf and Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie King Lacuna of swimming.

The opening ceremonies where Lariba will be carrying the flag will be on August 5, 2016 at the Maracana Stadium.

Here is Lariba with POC executive Peping Cojuangco and fellow Olympians as posted in the Twitter account of Patricia Hizon :

The flag bearer for the Philippines for the #RioOlympics is Yan Larriba! pic.twitter.com/ok8QOlV83J

— Patricia Hizon (@patriciahizon) July 19, 2016

Congratulations Ian for this achievement and good luck to all athletes that will compete in the Olympic games!

GILAS PILIPINAS : FINAL "FIGHTING 12" FOR THE FIBA OQT ANNOUNCED

The final "Fighting 12" of Gilas Pilipinas that will represent the country in the FIBA Olympic Qualifier in Manila was announced live tonight. The team was seen live from Italy where the team is participating in the pocket tournament as a build up for the FIBA OQT.

The announcement was made before the team's game against China for the tournament's 3rd place after both teams suffered losses in their first games against Italy and Canada.

The final 12 players that will carry the Pilipinas jersey as part of Gilas 4.0 are as follows (as announced by Jimmy Alapag during the live telecast of Sports 5) :

• Andray Blatche
• Jayson Castro
• June Mar Fajardo
• Gabe Norwood
• Japhet Aguilar
• Ranidel de Ocampo
• Terrence Romeo
• Marc Pingris
• Jeff Chan
• Bobby Ray Parks, Jr.
• Ryan Reyes
• Troy Rosario

Here are the final 12 players as posted in the TV5 official Twitter page :

#Gilas12 IS IN! 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/p8lOMrpFIJ

— TV5 (@TV5manila) June 26, 2016

The last 2 players cut from the line up are LA Tenorio and Calvin Abueva, Salute to all these guys, whether they are in or out, for sacrificing for the country.

Hoping that these 12 guys will take us to our goal - which is the slot in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Laban Pilipinas! 

TEAM PILIPINAS : WEIGHTLIFTER NESTOR COLONIA QUALIFIES TO THE 2016 RIO OLYMPICS

Weightlifter Nestor Colonia just qualified to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. He now joins fellow lifter and now 3 time Olympian Hidilyn Diaz in the competition.

In a letter from the International Weightlifting Federation to the Philippine Olympic Committee, the international weightlifting body confirmed the slot awarded to Colonia, who will compete in the men's 56kg division.

Colonia had an impressive showing during the world championship in Texas by getting the bronze in clean & jerk but wound up 4th in the snatch. He duplicated the same feat in the 2016 Asian Championship in Uzbekistan last April.

Colonia and Diaz are now in training in China as a build up for their campaign in Rio.

With this qualification, Filipino athlete count in the Olympics is now at 8 - with 2 boxers, 2 lifters, 2 in athletics, 1 in table tennis and 1 taekwondo jin. Others expected to join the group are athletes from golf and swimming. The basketball team will be in a qualifying tournament next month.

Good luck in the Olympics Nestor Colonia!

Image is from an article from Pilipino Sta Ngayon website

GILAS PILIPINAS : NEW SONG FOR THE GILAS PILIPINAS ROAD TO RIO RELEASED

The new song intended as the new theme song for the Road to Rio quest of Gilas Pilipinas, and the quest for medals for the Philippines at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games has been released by Sports 5 and Melmac Sports.

Entitled "Sabay Tayo", the song is a collaboration between husband and wife tandem Yael Yuzon of Spongecola and singer Karylle. The song also features the King of Rap Francis Magalona's son Frankie.

Here is the video from the Sports 5 Facebook page :

NEW FIBA QUALIFICATION CYCLE FOR OLYMPIC GAMES AND WORLD CUP EXPLAINED

The new cycle for the qualification for Asia and Oceania teams for the 2019 World Cup in China and 2020 Tokyo Olympics is explained in this video released by FIBA in their official YouTube Channel :

As stated in the video, this cycle will start next year and will be on a home and away game format, same as what FIFA is doing, giving more chances for the fans to watch their national teams.

GILAS PILIPINAS : 2015 FIBA ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE

It is just three days away from the kick off of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in China, which serves as the qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Gilas Pilipinas will be playing in Group B for the first round, which will be in a single round robin format. Also in the same group are Middle Eastern teams Kuwait and first timer Palestine, and East Asian qualifier Hong Kong. The top 3 teams will advance to the next round and will be joined by the top 3 teams of Group A.

Here is Gilas Pilipinas team as posted in the Sports5 twitter account:

Here is the first round schedule of Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship! #LabanPilipinas #PUSO pic.twitter.com/N9EOVDJdL7

— Sports5 (@Sports5PH) September 18, 2015

luis gabriel moreno wins gold at the 2014 nanjing youth olympic games

luis gabriel moreno, a 16 year old archer from quezon city, gave the philippines its first youth olympic game medal. he teamed up with china's jaiman li to capture the gold medal in the international mixed doubles event in archery.

they were able to beat the duo of malasian muhamad zari zulkefeli and german cynthia freywald in the gold medal match in 3 straight sets, 38-37, 38-35, 37-33. from the 3 sets, they already gained 6 points which sealed the gold medal for the asian archers.

both li and moreno exhibited great performances during the final match, only scoring 10's and 9's in all 3 sets. here is the awarding ceremony for the event:

moreno is the grandchild of entertainment icon german moreno and was the flag bearer of the philippines during the opening ceremonies of the games.

hope with this win, he will be given more support and international exposure. he is definitely an archer to watch in the next few years.

mabuhay ka gab moreno! laban pilipinas!

video is from pinoy headline's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSqH9vscrJo
image is from their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TeamPhilippines?fref=nf