POC president Abraham Tolentino
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino delivered a rousing send-off speech to Team Pilipinas, urging the delegation to chase a historic eight-gold medal haul at the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Reminding athletes that the subsequent Asian Games in Doha won’t take place until 2031, Tolentino stressed the urgency of capitalizing on their current momentum.
“Mangangarap na rin lang tayo, gawin na nating walo” (If we are going to dream, let’s make it eight), Tolentino declared, setting a target equal to the combined gold tallies of the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Tolentino outlined a balanced forecast split evenly between combat and non-combat disciplines. Half of the target is expected to come from combat sports such as Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts.
The remaining four golds are projected from non-combat events, led by gymnastics duo Carlos and Karl Yulo, tennis star Alex Eala, alongside contenders in Skateboarding, Swimming, and Esports titles including Mobile Legends and Puyo Puyo.
Expressing total confidence in the delegation’s depth, Tolentino noted that every athlete remains capable of pulling off surprises on the continental stage. He also hinted at additional financial incentives for victorious athletes before delivering his closing rally.
“We are not pressuring you, but give it your all. Itodo n’yo na. Now is the time,” Tolentino said.
The Philippines will send a 443-athlete delegation across 38 sports to the games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the national team aiming to improve on its four-gold medal haul from the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou Games.
The Asiad runs from September 19 to October 4, bringing together more than 11,000 athletes from across Asia.
Other athletes to watch include swimmer Kayla Sanchez, while the gold-medal-defending Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team returns with an all-Philippine Basketball Association lineup as it tries to retain the title it won dramatically in Hangzhou.
Meanwhile, the POC chief also announced that weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos and Olympic bronze medalist boxer Aira Villegas would be the Philippines’ male and female flag-bearers in the opening ceremony set on Sept. 19 at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.