Press Release - Bong Go congratulates Filipino Olympians for impressive medal haul at the 2024 Olympics, calls for continued gov't support for aspiring athlete

During an ambush interview on Monday, August 12, after aiding various sectors in Alfonso, Cavite, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chairperson of the Committee on Sports, celebrated the historic achievements of Filipino athletes at various international competitions, including the recent Paris Olympics, and outlined his commitment to further enhancing the country's sports programs.

Go praised the exceptional performances of Filipino athletes, such as Carlos Yulo, who earned two gold medals, and Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, each securing a bronze.

"Congratulations po sa ating mga atletang nanalo, headed by our golden boy, Carlos Yulo, dalawang gold medals. Bronze naman si Nesthy Petecio at si Aira Villegas," remarked Go.

He noted the consistent improvement since his tenure as Senate Sports Committee chairperson began in 2019, celebrating the Philippines' best-ever Olympic medal tally this year--two golds and two bronzes, a significant rise from previous records. The Philippines also won its first gold olympic medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from champion weightlifter Hydilyn Diaz.

"Nakakatuwa, since 2019, meron tayong tatlong gold na. Naging chairperson po ako ng Committee on Sports, 2019 sa Senado. Sinuportahan natin ang mga Olympics, sinuportahan po natin ang Paris Olympics, sinuportahan po natin 'yung mga grassroots program, sinuportahan po natin ang mga atleta," he added.

In June, Go partnered with the Philippine Sports Commission to provide additional financial support worth PhP500,000 to each Filipino Olympian to aid their preparations for the Paris Olympics. They also provided the same amount of support to each Filipino para-athlete participating in the upcoming 2024 Paris Paralympic Games through Go's initiative with PSC.

The senator earlier announced his intent to conduct a comprehensive post-evaluation of the efforts exerted by the government and various stakeholders in preparing and supporting our 2024 Paris Olympics delegation. While the country celebrates its wins, there have also been some evident areas for improvement in terms of support to Filipino Olympians such as the case of the country's golf team lacking official uniforms.

Moreover, he