The Philippines is preparing to showcase its young athletic talent with a 136-member delegation bound for the 3rd Asian Youth Games, set for October 22 to 31 in Manama, Bahrain. The country is banking on its youthful competitors to step up as the next wave of sporting standouts on the international stage.
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Leadership and Flag-Bearers
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino emphasized the potential of the team, saying they represent the nation’s future champions across global competitions.
“We’ll field a compact team of promising athletes who are all potentially our future Olympic, world, and regional champions,” Tolentino declared.
The delegation will be under the leadership of Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who currently serves as president of both the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). Boxer Leo Mhar Lobrido and volleyball prospect Harlyn Serneche have been chosen as flag-bearers, leading the country during the parade of nations at the Exhibition World Bahrain.
Tolentino noted that the goal is to meet or surpass the country’s 2013 performance in Nanjing, China, when Pauline Lopez in taekwondo and Mia Legaspi in golf earned gold, while three other athletes clinched silver medals.
“We believe somebody from our 136 athletes will rise to the occasion to make a name for himself or herself. Opportunities are always there for us, and we believe our athletes will do whatever it takes to win,” he added.
Promising Athletes and Competitions
Among the standout athletes in the roster is 15-year-old Lobrido, who secured a gold medal in the boys’ 46-48kg division during the Greater Bay Area Youth Boxing Challenge in Shenzhen, China, last December. Serneche, meanwhile, represents Nazareth School of National University and is being hailed as one of the country’s brightest young volleyball players.
The 2025 Asian Youth Games is a multi-sport event open to athletes aged 14 to 17, covering 23 sports. Filipino athletes will participate in 16 disciplines, including volleyball, taekwondo, triathlon, athletics, boxing, weightlifting, aquatics, and jiu-jitsu.
An estimated 4,000 athletes from 45 nations will converge in Bahrain to participate in 223 events, setting the stage for Asia’s rising stars to prove their mettle.
