TAEKWONDO and boxing will be the country’s brightest hope for the elusive first Olympic gold medal but it would take a miracle to achieve such objective, according to chief of mission Rep. Monico Puentevella.

Puentevella, also the first vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), said jins Marie Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go, and boxer Harry Tañamor have the best chance of winning at least a medal—even the gold—in the 2008 Olympics.

“This is a lean and mean group. It will be a long and hard climb for the athletes. This will be the toughest Olympics in the modern era. Competition will be super-high in quality,” Puentevella said during his short appearance in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Shakey’s United Nations Avenue.

“Let us not make false hopes. Miracles do happen, so let us pray for a miracle,” added Puentevella.

Twelve RP athletes have already made the grade in the 2008 Olympics. Also making it to Beijing are archer Mark Javier; swimmers Ryan Arabejo, Miguel Molina, Daniel Coakley, James Walsh and Christel Simms; divers Sheila Mae Perez and Rexel Ryan Fabriga; and shooter Eric Ang.

Two more Filipino tracksters will still be named in accordance with the virtue of universality of the games, while rowers, fencers and judokas are still vying for Olympic berths this week.

Puentevella said that now is the time to hone Filipino athletes, especially the youth, for the 2012 London Olympics.

“We should now put emphasis on the Philippine Youth Olympics this year, the Asian Youth Olympics next year and the Youth Olympics in 2010 so that we could prepare them for 2012,” said Puentevella.

GOLDEN DE ORO  

PUERTO PRINCESA—For Maika de Oro, there was no period of adjustment.

The high-school freshman from Bacolod City was the first to reset a Palarong Pambansa record here en route to another Western Visayas victory in track and field Tuesday at the Ramon V. Mitra Jr. Sports Complex.

Arum to Manny: be at your best against David

DON’T tell Bob Arum that a win by Manny Pacquiao over David Diaz is already a forgone conclusion. 

Dennis Orcollo and Roberto Gomez bounced back from the one-loss side by posting huge victories to barge into the knockout stage of the 2008 World 8-Ball Championship late Monday at the Amir Billiards Club in Fujairah City, the United Arab Emirates.

MINUS its head coach, Hapee Toothpaste proved it can still sparkle even in the most crucial time of the tournament.

THE picturesque city of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan serves as the backdrop for the second leg of the Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Tournament this weekend.

TAEKWONDO and boxing will be the country’s brightest hope for the elusive first Olympic gold medal but it would take a miracle to achieve such objective, according to chief of mission Rep. Monico Puentevella.

THE Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP) considered amateur stars and US scholars Jayvie Agojo and Dottie Ardina to the Philippine squad to the Queen Sirikit Cup, or Asia-Pacific Ladies Invitational Golf Team Championships in Chiba, Japan, in May.