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.

Wang, a taolu expert, will stay in Zhu Chan, while Mariano and the other sanshou artists will train in Guangzhou until August, or days before the Olympics open on August 8. 

Wushu Federation of the Philippines president Julian Camacho said his athletes will have the longest training period among the Filipino Olympic qualifiers, this despite the fact that wushu will be played as a demonstration sport in Beijing.

“We are serious on our campaign of winning a gold medal in our debut in the Olympics. It’s a long training for the athletes and I guarantee that we will gain good results,” said Camacho.

Besides wushu, the Philippines also has bets in taekwondo, diving, boxing, swimming and archery in Beijing.

The Philippines has sent athletes to the Olympics since 1928 but could only come close to winning the gold. It has two silver medals, both from boxing, in the 1964 Tokyo and 1996 Atlanta games.

Camacho said the China training and the athletes’ international exposures will cost P10 million, a big chunk of which will be shouldered by the government through the Philippine Sports Commission.

“We will prepare hard for the Olympics because we would like to prove that we are top contenders in the sport. This is also our chance to show that wushu is also a potential source of gold in the Olympics.”

Camacho said Wang and Mariano are his gold medal potentials. The others on the team are Mary Jane Estmar, Benjie Rivera, Rene Catalan, Danile Parantac and Janice Hung.

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.