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Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Ramirez optimistic RP can win 1st Olympic gold
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
TO PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) chair William "Butch" Ramirez, the Philippines, could win its first gold in the Olympics in Beijing.
But, in order to do this, Ramirez said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must remain in power by 2008, citing the support given by the Chief Executive that catapulted Philippine sports to greater heights specifically during the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
"If she stays until 2008, I have this gut feeling that we will win our first Olympics gold in Beijing," Ramirez told Davao City sportswriters recently.
"For the first time, we have a President that is listening," Ramirez added.
The PSC chief said Arroyo's all-out support inspired the Filipino athletes especially during the recent SEA Games where they emerged overall champion for the first time since joining the biennial conclave in 1977.
This early, the PSC and the rest of the country's sports have identified boxing, taekwondo, diving and archery as the focus sports where the Filipino athletes have the best chance of landing a medal or even gold in the Beijing Olympics three years from now.
To underscore the country's serious campaign to sustain its excellence in international competitions, the PSC had projected to allot P50 million for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006, P100 for the SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 and another P40 million for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (December 28, 2005 issue)
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