Pinoy Olympians abroad to receive COVID-19 vaccine

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino Olympians who are training abroad will get their COVID-19 vaccines in their host countries, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino announced.

According to Tolentino, Malaysia has assured that that weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and her team will get their second dose of the vaccine, while Japanese sports officials guaranteed the inoculation of gymnast Carlos Yulo and his Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya.

"I'd like to express my gratitude to all our NOC neighbors for helping our athletes to get vaccinated," said Tolentino, who is also the president of PhilCycling.

Diaz and her team, including conditioning coach Julius Naranjo and Chinese coach Kaiwen Gao, have been training in Selangor, Malaysia for more than a year now.

The country's national boxing team -- particularly Olympic qualifiers Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam -- will get their jabs at their Thailand training camp.

Eumir Felix Marcial completed his vaccines in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Also getting their vaccines while abroad are boxers Rogen Ladon, Ian Clark Bautista, James Palicte, Marjon Piañar, Risa Pasuit and Aira Villegas and coaches Donald Abnett, Nolito "Boy" Velasco, Ronald Chavez, Elmer Pamisa and Reynaldo Galido.

Yulo and Kugimiya, on the other hand, will be jabbed anytime soon with Tolentino and Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion-Norton securing the guarantee from the Japan Olympic Committee and the Japanese Gymnastics Association.

"Although vaccine is not mandatory in the Olympics, we cannot put the well-being and health of our athletes at risk," Tolentino said. "Once you’re tested positive, you’re automatically out of the competition."

Tolentino said the POC is reaching out to pole vaulter EJ Obiena to get his vaccines in Italy, where he is training.

Rower Cris Nievarez already got his first dose of the vaccine, along with 729 Southeast Asian Games-bound athletes and coaches last May 28 in Manila.

Taekwondo's Kurt Bryan Barbosa and newly-qualified skateboarder Tokyo Olympian Margielyn Didal will get their first dose in the second batch of mass vaccination of athletes and coaches within the month.

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