The Philippine Sports Commission Chair William Ramirez is looking out for a potential Cuban coach to lead the national boxing team for the 2008 Olympics.

 

Ramirez said the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is "bent on winning the country's first Olympic gold in Beijing" and prefers a Cuban coach to handle the training, the local newspaper Sun Star reported Thursday.

 

He said he will fly to Cuba anytime and possibly bring back Raul Liranza, who produced an Olympic silver medal winner in the 1996 Games, the report said.

 

Ramirez also announced that Filipino athletes are expected to go through extensive training abroad and see action in qualifying competitions for the Olympic Games.

 

Veteran Harry Tanamor is the first boxing qualifier but the country hopes to gain more slots in another qualifying tournament held in Thailand next month.

 

Aside from Tanamor, taekwondo's Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero, swimming's Miguel Molina, JB Walsh, Daniel Coakley and Ryan Arabejo and archery's Mark Javier have also qualified for the Olympics, the report said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2007)