Get to know the 22 Filipino athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympics is just around the corner, and the Philippines has 22 amazing athletes representing the country–the most contestants yet since 1924. The Olympics is set to run from July 26 to August 11 this year.
Although our athletes are scattered around multiple sports, they all have the same goal of adding another win to the country’s current tally of one gold, five silver, and eight bronze medals.

- Ernest John “EJ” Obiena
The 28-year-old Tondo-born athlete will be competing in the men’s pole vault event. Obiena is known to have made history when he won a silver medal in the 2024 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
In an interview with Olympics.com in 2023, Obiena said he believes that winning a gold is something that is doable and achievable. He highlights, “Success is winning a medal. Bigger success if I win.”
A recent X/Twitter thread made by Obiena was an update regarding his Olympics journey. He admits that it has been a bumpy road and he’s been facing various physical problems since April this year. However, he assures everyone that he is doing his best and can still perform at his highest level. He ended, “I am a proud Filipino and that means I am resilient and have weathered far worse situations. I promise you all I will give not 99% but all 100%”.

- Aleah Finnegan
Finnegan initially thought that her career was over after what she called a heartbreaking performance in the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championship.
The Filipino-American athlete, born and raised in Missouri, was offered by the Gymnast Association of the Philippines to represent the country in the 2022 Southeast Asian Games wherein she bagged four medals including two gold in team and vault.
Now, at 21 years old, she is turning her dreams into reality. She admits in an instagram post that competing in the Olympics is her dream come true.

- John Cabang-Tolentino
Born in Madrid, Spain, 22-year old Cabang proudly represents his Filipino roots as he will be competing in the 110-m men hurdles after qualifying via world rankings. He placed 30th out of the 40 athletes in the qualifiers.

- Lauren Hoffman
Virginia-born Hoffman is also representing the Philippines for the hurdles–the women’s 400-m category. The 25-year old finished within the top 40 of the qualifier event, earning her a position in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
She’s still over the moon with this achievement, proud to be representing the country. “It is such an honor to join my kababayan and represent the Philippines at the upcoming Olympic Games. Feeling beyond blessed,” Hoffman says in a Facebook post.

- Carlos Yulo
The 2020 Forbes’ 30 under 30 Asia 24-year-old lister has been garnering titles and honors since he joined the sport. Malate-born Yulo first made his Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and recently hauled gold medals from the 2024 Asian Gymnastics Union Men’s Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Uzbekistan. Yulo topped the individual all-around, floor exercise, vault, and parallel bars events wherein he earned a total of four gold medals to take back home.
“I will give my all in the coming Olympics,” Yulo said in an interview with GMA network. He is determined to earn another podium in Paris, France.

- Levi Jung-Ruivivar
As the youngest Filipino Olympian on the Philippine Centennial Team, the 18-year old Filipino-American will be representing the pride of the Philippines in gymnastics. She recently bagged the silver medal in the 2024 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series in Doha, Qatar.
In an instagram post, Levi expressed gratitude for the love and support that she has been receiving from the Filipino community. She also said that the journey has not been easy to say the least, but followed it with the statement: “I will forever cherish and remember this moment for the remainder of my life and the bliss I feel in my soul is unmatched”. Levi-Jung Ruivivar has been a shining star in gymnastics at just 12 years old when she started competing in her home state, California.

- Eumir Marcial
28-year-old Marcial was the first Filipino boxer to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and his eyes are set on the gold. He qualified after finishing in the top two of the men’s 80kg division in the Asian Games.
“The GOLD is in Paris!!” Marcial said in an instagram post, also expressing gratitude towards the overwhelming support of the Filipino nation. Marcial aims to bring the gold back home to Zamboanga.

- Aira Villegas
The 28-year old Tacloban boxer is also carrying the weight of her older brother’s dreams in her shoulders as she ascends into the Olympic ring. Rominick Villegas was Aira’s inspiration and influence when she first got into the sport.
Aira ensured a ticket to the Paris Games when she won with an astounding 5-0 decision against Bulgarian Zlatislava Chukanova in the 1st Olympic Qualifying Tournament in March. Villegas made it her mission to bring home the gold as she competes in the 50-kg division.

- Nesthy Petecio
Petecio, at 32 years old, jabbed her way into the 2024 Paris Olympics when she won against Turkiye’s Esra Yildiz with a 4-1 decision in the women’s 57kg division. Petecio won a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and aims to bring another win for the Philippines. The Davao native says she is not stopping until she gets the gold.
She proudly said that she won this ticket for a lot of people. In an interview with Olympics.com, she stated, “I got this ticket for so many people, especially my family, to God, and for our former President who died, and for my partner in life.”

- Elreen Ann Ando
Cebuana Elreen Ann Ando is back in the Olympics ring, and is hoping to lift her way into the podium for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 25-year-old Ando snatched her ticket when she won in the women’s 59-kg category through the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Cup in Thailand last April.
“I am drawing my strength from my family and people who don’t believe in me—I made them my motivation,” she says in an interview with Inquirer.net.

- Vanessa Palomar Sarno
The 20-year-old’s much awaited Olympics debut has now become a reality. Sarno lifted a total of 245kg in the women’s 71-kg category in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Cup which placed her 5th out of 25 qualifiers.
Sarno, in an interview with Olympics.com, stressed that her toughest opponent is herself. In her own words, “I just need to beat me”.
The Boholano athlete has shown gratitude to her supporters throughout her journey, but also to her non-believers, “To someone who told me that I don’t stand a chance to qualify for the Olympics, thank you”.

- Joanie Delgaco
Bicolano Delgaco made history as the first Filipina rower to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics after placing 4th in World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta – Women’s Single Sculls.
Changing sports from volleyball to rowing, Delgaco was also 17 when she decided to switch. The transition was not easy as she had a lot to catch up on. However, her hard work paid off as her dreams became realities as she qualifies for the Olympics at 26 years old.
“At first, I really couldn’t sleep because I was qualified. I thought, ‘Is this it, am I achieving my dream?’,” Delgaco shared in her interview with Inquirer.net. She is very much still on cloud nine as she makes her way into the Olympics ring.

- John Ceniza
The Cebuano weightlifter has placed fourth at the International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Phuket, Thailand which earned him a qualification to compete in Paris. He represented the Philippines in the men’s 61-kg category garnering a total lift of 300-kg–a combination of a 132 in the snatch and 168 in the clean and jerk.
As a first-timer in the Olympics, 26-year-old Ceniza is ecstatic and excited for the experience. He also shares that his biggest motivation in achieving his dreams is himself.

- Sam Catantan
Born in Quezon City is another history-maker. 22-year-old Filipino-fencer Sam Catantan–the first fencing delegate of the Philippines after 32 years. After securing a spot with her 15-14 win against Kazakhstan’s Sofiya Aktayeva in the women’s foil final of the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, she is set to represent the blue, red, yellow, and white flag of the Philippines.
In an emotional instagram post, she admits to having not enough words to express her gratitude for the prayers and support she has received from everyone. She highlights, “This is for the Philippines and the Filipinos”.

- Emma Malabuyo
From the lands of California, the 21-year-old Filipino-American gymnast qualified for Paris 2024 when she finished 3rd with a 50.398 total in the Asian Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She is the highest ranked athlete who is eligible for the quota.
In an instagram post, she reveals that she was terrified to try for her Olympics dream once again, but even more so of not trying at all. The reality is hard to believe for Malabuyo as it was undeniably a long and arduous journey for her.

- Carlo Paalam
Another Filipino boxer qualified to compete in the French capital is two-time SEA Games gold medalist Carlo Paalam. The Bukidnon 25-year-old boxer won his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics through his victory against Indian Sachin Siwach in the men’s 57kg division semifinals of the 2024 Boxing 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Thailand.
Paalam shared that the journey to achieve his dreams was not at all easy. “I’ve gone through a lot and it feels so good now that I’m back in the Olympics,” he says to Inquirer.net.

- Hergie Bacyadan
In her pursuit of boxing, QC-born Bacyadan thought of giving up multiple times. With tears in her eyes, she emotionally said, “It came to a point that I doubted if I can still really do this. But I just kept on pushing and now I’m an Olympian”.
Bacyadan qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics when she earned victory against Venezuela’s Maryelis Yriza at the World Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament. Amidst her doubts and difficulties in both herself and the journey, the 29-year-old athlete is proud to reach her dream. She also expresses that the journey to Paris was hard, and expects that the competition will be much, much harder.

- Kiyomi Watanabe
The 27-year-old Cebuana-Japanese judoka is on her second Olympic appearance and she will perform without regrets. Watanabe will be competing in the Women’s 63 kg event in Judo after her qualifier victory against Spain’s Cristina Cabana Perez.
As the No. 92 ranked in the world, the Cebuana judoka claimed one of two Asian quotas. She aims to add another win to her stack of wins including four gold medals for the SEA Games.

- Kayla Sanchez
23-year-old Kayla Sanchez is not new to the Olympics ring as she has won two medals for Canada from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Sanchez was born in Singapore, but her family eventually migrated to Canada. Now, she is representing her Filipino roots for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s 100-m freestyle. Her federation switch aims to inspire people like her to get into the sport and swim.
“In the end, I’m proud to be a Filipino, and if I inspire young kids and Filipinos in general just to start swimming, to start sports, it just means the world to me,” Kayla says in an interview with Spin.ph.

- Jarod Hatch
Filipino-American and California-born Hatch is aiming for a podium finish in the men’s 100-m butterfly event in Paris as he unretires from the sport. In 2021, the 25-year-old admitted he was mentally and physically exhausted from the sport. Now, he is on his first Olympic stint and ready to take home the gold for the country and win the whole thing.

- Bianca Pagdanganan
A Filipina talent in golf has earned a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics after she was ranked No. 36 by the International Golf Federation, making it to the Top 60 cut-off. This is Pagdanganan’s second run in the Olympics with her first appearance in Tokyo last 2020.
Another QC-born, 26-year-old Pagdanganan is aiming to swing with glory, conquer the game, and win the gold around her neck.

- Dottie Ardina
Another Filipina golfer representing the Philippines will be Dottie Ardina after she made the 60-woman cut off. A veteran in the sport of golfing, Ardina has competed in various tours and has been recognized for her skills and achievements.
Preparing for her first appearance in the Olympics, the 30-year-old Lagunense maintained her confidence and continues to build her momentum in the Dana Open. She hopes to be gold-ready and deliver a strong performance for the 2024 Paris Olympics.