David Nepomuceno was the first Filipino to compete in the Olympics. He was a runner and the sole representative of the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 at the 1924 Summer Olympics

1924 Summer Olympics

The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...

 in Paris, France. In 1925, Nepomuceno ran the 100 meters in only two-tenths of a second short of the then-world record.

Early Athletic Career

Nepomuceno specialized in 100 meter sprints. Along with fellow Filipino Fortunato Catalon, he was considered a world-class sprinter in the 1920s, competing frequently in the Far East.

The Olympics

When the Philippines joined the International Olympic Committee

International Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...

 in 1918, the requisite for the country's acceptance was the participation of a Filipino athlete at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Nepomuceno was the sole participant representing the Philippines. At the Olympics, he ran the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes; in neither race was he fast enough to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Far Eastern Games

Nepomuceno won the following medals at the Far Eastern Games:

1925

• Gold Medal, 200 meter straight dash
• Silver Medal, 100 meter dash

1927

• Gold Medal, 100 meter dash
• Bronze Medal, 200 meter straight dash