AIMING FOR GOLDEN STREAK

Olympic achievers, world beaters and rising sportsmen and sportswomen fly the flag in Paris as Team Philippines seeks to pick up from where it left off in the previous Olympiad in Tokyo.

- OLMIN LEYBA

After ending an agonizing 94-year wait for that elusive Olympic triumph in 2021, the country sends to battle a 22-strong crew out to follow up on Hidilyn Diaz’ celebrated breakthrough and make it the beginning of a golden streak.

The Philippine delegation’s composition was finalized at the end of the qualifying process in basketball, where Gilas Pilipinas bombed out in the semifinal stage of the Qualifiers in Latvia.

The 22-strong cast marks the country’s largest contingent since 1992 in Barcelona, where 26 athletes donned the tri-colors.

Weightlifting titan Diaz, who made history with her conquest of the women’s -55kg division last time, won’t be around for a possible encore after failing to make the grade in the -59kg class tabled for the July 26 to Aug. 11 conclave.

This leaves fellow Tokyo Games podium finishers from boxing, silver-winning Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, as well as two-time world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo and world No. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena with the task of taking the cudgels in France.