WITH a guarantee that money will not be a problem, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has tasked the associations of boxing, taekwondo, swimming, archery and wushu to immediately submit their budget requirements for the Beijing Olympics.

“We want to know their plan so we would know how we will distribute the budget,” said Ramirez yesterday after a two-hour meeting with the officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and heads of the national sports associations (NSAs) involved.

Upon the encouragement of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the government through the PSC has set aside a P30-million budget for the Olympic quest.

Sports officials are also counting on the private sector. They already got one in telecommunications tycoon Manny Pangilinan, who pledged to bankroll the training of the boxers and jins, among others.

“Money is not a problem. There will be enough to support the country’s Olympic program. Our concentration is on coming up with a strategic high-level training for the athletes,” said Ramirez.

Also in the meeting were POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr., first vice president Monico Puentevella, the chief of mission to Beijing, and heads of the NSAs except athletics’ Go Teng Kok.

Eight Filipinos have already secured slots to Beijing. They are swimmers Miguel Molina, JB Walsh, Daniel Coakley and Ryan Arabejo, taekwondo jins Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero, boxer Harry Tañamor and archer Mark Javier.

Puentevella said the boxing association has requested for a top-caliber Cuban coach, while taekwondo wants to train under a Korean mentor. He added wushu will train in China starting this month and will stay there until the Games which start August 8.

The divers left for China yesterday while the swimmers will undergo rigid training in the United States, also starting this month.

Funding is not a problem in RP’s Olympic gold bid

WITH a guarantee that money will not be a problem, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has tasked the associations of boxing, taekwondo, swimming, archery and wushu to immediately submit their budget requirements for the Beijing Olympics.

Korean Shin eyes hat trick

Two-time championship division winner Crystal Shin of South Korea goes for her third consecutive championship in the 45th edition of the Southern Ladies Golf Tournament set from February 6 to 8 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Murcia, Negros Occidental.

INCENTIVES in the form of cash and an overseas stint will be staked in the grand collegiate tournament the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP)-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) intends to stage later this year.

Randy Suico may not challenge for the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title in Las Vegas after all.

This after international promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud told the BusinessMirror that world champion David Diaz already has an opponent signed up for March 15 fight.

BASED on the world rankings, the badminton mixed doubles team of Kennievic and Kennie Asuncion has a slim chance of making it to this year’s Beijing Olympics.

THAILAND Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Willy Wang and Mariane Mariano lead a nine-man team that will train in China beginning January 9 for the Beijing Olympics.

WHEN I learned that Ruben Laureano’s prized galloper Irene’s Fantasy will be running in a major stakes late last month, I didn’t wink twice when I told Ruben that his horse would certainly win.