TEAM Philippines' unprecedented success in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is a triumph of the Filipino athlete. But it also is a testament to how athletes can spread their wings when given full, unequivocal support.
Support both from the government and private sector enabled Filipino athletes to take advantage of advancements in technology in training, sports psychology, nutrition as well as the guidance from world-class coaches.
From Gilas Pilipinas to the Philippine delegation to the last Olympics in Tokyo, that investment is paying dividends.
Just take Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, for example. In her fourth Olympic stint, the Zamboanguena weightlifter finally quenched the thirst of the nation for its first ever gold medal after winning the women's 55 kg category.
Yes, it was none other than Diaz who lifted the barbell at Tokyo International Forum, but she has repeatedly attributed her success to Team HD. And part of that is Gao Kaiwen, a well-respected Chinese coach who joined the team in 2018.
"There's a certain foundation of stability with him," Dr. Karen Trinidad, a member of Team HD, said of Gao after Diaz became the third weightlifter that the Chinese coach helped lead to an Olympic gold medal.
"Kapag crucial na ang kailangan pag-uusapan, we would ask Coach Gao, like, 'What's your point of view regarding this?'"
Even the Philippine boxing team got a huge shot in the arm from Don Abnett, a former national coach of Australia who since coming over has led boxers to success in the 2018 Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games, and the Olympics.
"He’s very studious and analytical," said Alliance of Boxing Associations in the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Picson of the Aussie.
"When he breaks down the style of boxers, he’s very detailed. He measures even the work ethic of the boxer, the positioning of the feet, yung mag-lead hand, ganyan."
[See Well done, mate: The Aussie coach that sparked PH boxing resurgence]
Abnett's analytical approach and introduction of video viewing and other training innovations were a welcome addition to Abap's roster of coaches led by Ronald Chavez, Nolito Velasco, Elmer Pamisa, and Reynaldo Galido.
His input was felt in Tokyo as three boxers finished at the podium with featherweight Nesthy Petecio and flyweight Carlo Paalam taking home silver medals and middleweight Eumir Marcial nabbing a bronze.
That was just the tip of the iceberg.
Caloy Yulo has enjoyed the guidance of Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya since he moved to Japan in 2017. That partnership has helped the Leveriza-born gymnast win gold in floor exercise in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
Legendary coach for EJ Obiena
Despite not achieving the same level of success in Tokyo, Yulo finished fourth in the vault with a score of 14.716, a national record.
Aside from listening to his father Emerson, pole vaulter EJ Obiena has hit new heights under the guidance of the legendary Ukranian coach Vitaly Petrov in years of training for the Olympics at Formia, Italy.
Petrov was also the coach of pole vault legends Sergei Bubka and Yelena Isinbayeva.
That partnership has put the Tondo-born trackster in the same breath as some of the bests in the world like Swede Armand Duplantis, and helped Obiena reach the men's pole vault final before he ended up at 11th place.
American track coach Rohsaan Griffin has also lent his expertise to the Philippine athletics team, particularly for Kristina Knott ahead of her run in the women's 200 m event in Tokyo.
Ukranian coach Shukhrat Ganiev also joined coach Ed Maerina in preparing rower Cris Nievarez for his debut campaign in men's single sculls, where the Quezon City-born rower placed 23rd.

The major impact of foreign coaches is not limited to the Olympics.
American-Kiwi mentor Tab Baldwin has done wonderful things for Gilas Pilipinas in men's basketball since he reclaimed the coaching reins to add to his role as program director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
Gilas topped the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers with a sweep of its games in the final window held in Clark, beating rival Korea twice with a young team that didn't include a single professional player from the PBA ranks.
More investments are made elsewhere.
English manager Scott Cooper is helping the Philippine Azkals program regain momentum while Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito has arrived to help the Philippine women's volleyball team punch above its weight.
That's not to say that our Filipino coaches are incapable. However, it takes strength to admit that you don't know everything.
And here's to wishing that our athletes and coaches maximize these opportunities picking these experts' brains as they continue to help shape our Filipino athletes into future world champions.
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