Sports Eye
Local bets shine
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
NOTWITHSTANDING the brouhaha and bickerings by our lawmakers accusing 30th
Southeast Asia Games Organizing Committee chairman Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of
corruption prior to the start of the games, our national athletes just shrugged
them off and just focused their attention to their respective assignments. And
they succeeded in lifting our nation to the top in the biennial meet. Our
athletes’ performances shocked our region’s neighbors especially the
powerhouses and former overall champions Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and
Vietnam. Yes, they were not only overwhelmed but we even surpassed Malaysia’s
medal hauls in 2017 with our 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals for a
total of 387 counts, a record since we started to join the ala-Olympic joust in
1977 when the game was still called “Southeast Asia Peninsular Games”. Yes,
this is the talk of the town these days and our national athletes deserve to
receive a big applause from us for their awesome, remarkable efforts.
Our Pangasinan athletes contributed a respectable medal input by hauling seven
gold, two each from Carlos Yulo of Alcala (gymnastics) and Agatha Wong of
Dagupan City (wushu), one each from Pauline Louise Lopez of Sta. Barbara
(taekwondo), CJ Perez of Bautista (3×3 basketball), Jason Perkins (5×5
basketball) of Bolinao. Perez was born in Hong Kong but was raised and educated
at his mother’s town Bautista while U.S.-born Perkins’ mother is from Bolinao.
Some scribes say Gilas 5×5 member Stanley Pringle’s mother is also from Bolinao
but I have to confirm this. If the report is true, that will make a total of
eight gold medals contributed by our local bets.
Our much-touted Pangasinan cyclists spearheaded by last year’s Ronda Pilipinas
champion Ronald Oranza of Villasis and 2018 Le Tour de Filipinas king Joshua
Cariño of Mangaldan
contributed one bronze medal each. The
serious and hard training of our national road racing contingent at the Tagaytay
City road race course prompted our national cycling leaders to predict a
harvest of at least a minimum of five gold. Alas, they fell badly short of their target
and earned only two bronze medals. “Nauna
kasi and kalesa kaysa kabayo,” said cycling admirer Alfredo Solis of
Malasiqui. I agree. The three gold medals won by Philippines were courtesy of
Fil-Am John Derrick Farr and Lea Belgira in mountain bike events and La Union
lass Jermyn Prado in the women’s road individual-time-trial class. The heavily
favored 2013 SEA Games and 2014 Asian Games gold winner Fil-Am BMX rider Daniel
Caluag of Bulacan settled for silver this time.
We landed sixth overall in the 2017 SEA Games held in Malaysia with the host
winning the overall title. Philippines was impressive when it leapfrogged to
first place overall this year and Vietnam finished as a strong second. Two years from now, Vietnam, a very strong
contender each time, will host again the next SEA Games. Vietnam after hosting
it in 2003 and won the overall championship reaping 158 gold medals. It finished
third overall in 2015 and 2017 and second overall this year with 288 medals (98
gold, 85 silver, 105 bronze). Without a doubt, Vietnam is aiming to be overall
championship in 2021, I believe Vietnam is the team to reckon with. But “It’s
easier said than done,” as the adage says, so let’s just wait and see. I wish
and hope I have the means and time to watch the 2021 meet personally. Siya nawa.
****
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Christ the Lord.LUKE 2: 10-11
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