Sports Eye

By December 17, 2019Opinion, 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.

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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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