Sports Eye
Déjà vu for cycling
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
I WAS surprised, saddened and puzzled to learn that four of our local riders who topped the qualifying race last July 24 and earned the privilege to automatically become members of the Philippine national squad for this year’s Guangzhou Asian Games will not be representing our country for this year Asiad. I was informed about this last Thursday by our kababayan and 2003 Tour Pilipinas champion Arnel Quirimit who also deplored the very unfair selection of our national road squad by our national cycling leaders.
The four who topped the massed-start road race conducted in Subic were Merculio Ramos Jr. of Binalonan, Renato Sembrano of Mangaldan, Sherwin Carrera of San Fabian and Baler Ravina of Asingan. Instead, the cycling acquiescent officials selected their close chums — Manilenos George Oconner, Llyod Reynante, John Mier and Bicol-born Mapandan, Pangasinan-resident Irish Valenzuela. In the distaff side, it will be Malasiqui lass Marites Bitbit and Filipino-Australian April Effynger who will don the national colors. No question about them. The two passed the test.
“Palakasan ang nangyayari kuya Jess nuon at hanggang ngayon pa at nalulungkot ako na yung apat na kababayan natin ay hindi mapapasama sa Guangzhou Asian Games samantalang sila din talaga ang dapat dahil sila ang nanalo nuong elimination at pinaghirapan nila ang event na yon,” said Quirmit, a many-time member of the Philippine national squad.
“Ok lang sa akin kung hindi ako nakuha dahil hindi naman ako pumasa, pero kawawa naman yung apat na kababayan natin na naghirap ng todo para pumasa,” he added.
The same sentiments were echoed by Carrera during my call to him also last Thursday.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I was also a victim of this palakasan system during my younger cycling days. I was the second best during the RP training pool after Cornelio Padilla Jr. for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games but was booted out because of palakasan. Formed by the late Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta, our RP team then even joined the 1964 Tour of Luzon as our training ground and we won the first runner-plum after the star-studded Pangasinan squad skippered by 1962 Tour of Luzon king Edmundo de Guzman of Lingayen. Padilla won one stage and fifth overall while I bagged two of the 14 stages at stake, landing 18th overall out of 72 accredited participants.
This was already happening in the early days of Philippine participation in international races and I thought it will eventually stop. But I was wrong. No wonder, we never brought home the gold medal in this event. The best that a Filipino had accomplished was a bronze medal during the 13th Bangkok Asian Games in 1998, by 1997 Marlboro Tour champ Victor Espiritu of Malabon.
Yes, we succeeded once in the Asian Road Race Cycling Championship in 1965 held in Manila won by illustrious rider Muntinlupa-native Manuel Reynante. But that was not the Asian Games. Asian Cycling and Asian Games differ in competition format. The Asian Games is more prestigious a la Olympic Games. Sports gurus say it’s the meeting of super athletes while Asian Cycling is like the World Championships where majority of the participating countries do not send their best. Although Asian Cycling is also a respected event, it’s less prestigious.
Quirimit wondered, too, why these cycling leaders still conducted the qualifying road event last July if they did not intend to send the best to Guangzhou Asian Games. It was a waste of money, time and effort for our riders. These fatuous officials were deceitful and were only interested in their travel allowances and to gallivant abroad.
It’s an incurable kind of illness like ‘cancer’, or like that illegal numbers game called jueteng. It’s really a déjà vu for cycling.
This practice is also happening in other sports associations. Lately, according to the news last week, former world shooting champion Jethro Dionisio cried foul when he was not included as one of the national shooting members for the Guangzhou Games even if he garnered the highest points among all the nationals during their all international competitions. Same also happened lately to GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. for this year Chess Olympiad.
When will we ever learn? Siguro pagputi na ng uwak which will never happen.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (Timothy 1:6:10)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
