MANILA — The Philippines will be represented by nine athletes at the 4th Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, including cyclist Maritanya Krog and track athletes Pi Durden Wangkay and Naomi Marjorie Cesar, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced on Thursday.
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the athletes were nominated by their national sports associations, while additional selections are still pending.
“They have been nominated by their respective national sports associations and we’re awaiting six more nominations,” Tolentino said during an event in Tagaytay City.
The IOC has assigned nine Universality Places to the Philippines for the October 31 to November 13 Youth Olympic Games. The roster covers multiple disciplines such as athletics, cycling, artistic gymnastics, windsurfing, swimming, and wushu.
Krog secured her spot after finishing sixth in the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain and dominating local competitions such as Batang Pinoy and the National Cycling Championships. She also narrowly missed a podium finish at the Asian Cycling Confederation Track Championships in Tagaytay.
Tolentino said Krog’s training program will need to be enhanced ahead of the global meet.
“She has the potential, although we need to raise the level of her training program for Senegal,” he said.
On the athletics side, Wangkay captured gold in the men’s 200-meter event, while Cesar earned silver in the girls’ 800 meters at the 2025 Asian Youth Games. Wangkay also struck gold in the same event at the Bangkok Southeast Asian Games later that year.
All three athletes are 17 and part of the Philippines’ emerging youth sports program.
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