SAMAHANG Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella will be the special guest in the “Usapang Sports on Air” by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) via Zoom on Thursday, June 17.

Puentevella, who heads the SWP since 2016, will talk about the country’s chances in the coming Tokyo Olympics during the weekly public service program sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

A long-time official of both the PSC and Philippine Olympic Committee, Puentevella is widely-credited for the success of 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

This year, SWP has two athletes to the Tokyo Olympics — Diaz and Elreen Ann Ando of Cebu.

Diaz finalized her fourth straight Olympic appearance after finishing second overall in the women’s 55-kilogram division, while Ando secured the IWF Absolute Continental Ranking slot assigned for Asia after her two silver-medal romp in the Asian weightlifting championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last April.

Attending the first part of the session at 10 a.m. are Philippine Surfing team coach Ian Saguan and Nilbie Blancada, who will talk about the Filipinos’ campaign in the recent 2021 ISA World Surfing Games (Olympic Qualifier) in El Salvador.

TOPS president Ed Andaya of People’s Tonight is inviting all officers and members and friends in the sports community to join the weekly public service program.

This is the 24th session for the year and third for the month of June by TOPS, which is composed of editors, columnists, reporters and photographers of the country’s leading national tabloids and friends from different social media groups.

The session is also being livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Veteran sportscaster Ernest Leo Hernandez is the moderator.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Robert Andaya