No backing down: POC chief Bambol Tolentino stands firm on 8-gold target in Asian Games

MANILA, Philippines — Despite early setbacks on Day 3 of the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino remains steadfast in his prediction that Team Philippines will bring home at least eight gold medals. In an exclusive interview, the POC chief made it clear that he is not backing down from his high expectations for the national squad. "There's no backing down from this. Like I said, there's nothing wrong with dreaming. It doesn't cost anything—it's free," Tolentino stated, emphasizing that the tournament has only just begun. When asked where the expected gold medals will come from, Tolentino rattled off a deep roster of remaining contenders, including mixed martial arts, Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, boxing, athletics (Busong), 3x3 basketball, Mobile Legends, and jiu-jitsu. "That’s more than ten potential events. So we haven’t lost hope at all. We will definitely win golds," he declared. Tolentino highlighted that surpassing the country's previous four-gold haul remains highly achievable. He noted that today's Filipino athletes receive significantly better financial support, training allowances, and foreign coaching to help them level the playing field against heavily funded naturalized competitors from rival nations. His final word of encouragement to the athletes: "Just keep fighting. There are...