PH Robotics National Team Wins Bronze at First Global Challenge 2024 in Athens
Philippine Ambassador Giovanni Palec with the members and coaches of the Philippine Robotics National Team (photo courtesy of the PH Robotics National Team)
ATHENS 07 October 2024 - The Philippine Robotics National Team successfully concluded their journey in the “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Global Challenge” 2024 held at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens, Greece on 26-29 September 2024 after winning the bronze medal in the Sofia Kovaleskaya Award category.
The FIRST Global Challenge is the largest international youth robotics competition, and this year, Greece was chosen as host country with the Ministry of Digital Governance taking the lead. The Opening Ceremony was hosted at the historic Panathenaic Stadium on 26 September 2024, featuring a gymnastics performance by Greek youth and a parade of nations. The Philippine delegates proudly wore Filipiniana attire, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the Filipino audience, who waved flags in support. Notably, hip hop/pop group Black Eyed Peas entertained the crowd with a mini-concert after the ceremony, with Filipino member Apl.De.Ap. adding excitement when he acknowledged the presence of Filipino fans in the crowd.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also added prestige to this year’s event as he attended the first day of the competition. Student participants from 193 countries gathered for this event, representing the next generation of innovators and leaders in robotics and technology.
Prior to the start of the events, Philippine Ambassador Giovanni Palec met the members of the Philippine Robotics National Team composed of students from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges, Inc. in Bulacan namely, Gabriel Ortega, Tobias Dalistan, Jewelle Rafa, Annette Ambi, and Leslie Guadalupe. They were mentored by coaches Ann Raz and Beryl Cruz. Ambassador Palec expressed his admiration for their technical knowledge and commitment to advancing robotics, and emphasized the importance of international platforms in showcasing the talent of Filipino youth.
All participating teams competed for several award categories, with the Philippines winning bronze in the Sofia Kovaleskaya Award category, which recognizes teams that document their journey, from their origins as a FIRST Global team, onwards, as they prepare for this year’s FIRST Global Challenge. The Philippine team’s documentary highlighted this year’s theme “Feeding the Future” showcasing how robotics can transform agriculture and food production, making it more efficient and sustainable. Additionally, the Philippine team received the Global Explorer Award, acknowledging their outstanding performance and innovative solutions during the competition. The overall winners of the FIRST Global Challenge Greece 2024 were Mexico (Gold), Kazakhstan (Silver) and Cambodia (Bronze), and were awarded the Einstein Award for FIRST Global International Excellence. END
The Philippine team with their robot during the competition at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (photo courtesy of the PH Robotics National Team)
The Philippine Robotics National Team wins Bronze medal in the Sofia Kovaleskaya Award category of the FIRST Global Challenge 2024 Athens (photo courtesy of the PH Robotics National Team)
For more information, visit https://www.athenspe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinGreece/.