THE 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China will be the last continental multi-sport competition without a qualifying stage, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president and Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino
“The Hangzhou Asian Games will be the last continental competition without qualifying meets because it was agreed by the Olympic Council of Asia that future hosts would have to trim down the sports and events,” Tolentino said during the PSA Forum last Tuesday.
Postponed a year later due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 19th edition of the Asian sports showcase will be held from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 in the Chinese economic and e-commerce hub of Hangzhou, located in the northwestern part of China.
“I think this is a good development because for some sports the Asian Games is what they consider the Olympics,” Tolentino noted, adding the Hangzhou Asiad would also serve as a continental qualifying competition for some sports such as boxing and weightlifting.
“Although golfer Yuka Saso is no longer with us, we are still hoping that we can surpass the four golds we won in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia,” Tolentino said, recalling that Saso anchored the golf squad to the team gold while bagging the individual gold in Jakarta five years ago.
Weightlifter Hidylin Diaz, who competed in the women’s 53kg class, and skateboarder Margielyn Arda Didal were the other gold medalists. They are expected to be back in action in the Hangzhou Asiad.
Another top prospect in the Hangzhou Asiad is Fil-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez, a Tokyo Olympic silver medalist for Canada, who will be eligible to compete for the Philippines.
Tolentino also said he is not giving up on his legacy project of having a permanent POC headquarters after it failed to push through during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I hope that under the administration of President Bongbong Marcos we can finally get the POC headquarters done,” said Tolentino, who is still eyeing a lot on the government-owned Cultural Center Complex grounds for the location of the building.
