Quirimit deserves due recognition

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

I HAVE been an avid reader of newspapers since I became an athlete. It’s my practice to read the sports page first before the headlines and other pages. My day would not really be complete if I missed to read any daily newspaper and my favorite broadsheet is the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).

But last February 19, I was surprised and stunned to know from a PDI sports report, which was not attributed to a reporter or any writer, about the bronze medal victory of our national junior rider Rustom Lim in the just concluded Asian Youth Cycling Championship held in Ratchasima, Thailand. It said that Lim’s victory was our first after 13 years of medal drought in a continental competition. The report further said it was Victor Espiritu who was the last medal producer for our country in the Asian level of pedal pushing, winning the bronze in the men’s elite road race during the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

The report was very wrong. The unnamed writer was not a meticulous sports journalist and obviously did not do his homework and maybe not really a cycling enthusiast.

I was upset because it was our very own athlete, 2003 Tour Pilipinas champion Arnel Quirimit from Pozorrubio town, who was the last Philippine national rider to win a medal in the Asian rank of competition, bringing home the silver during the 2001 Asian Cycling Championship in the men’s elite road battle held in Kaoshiong, Taiwan. I was hurt because I was the co-mentor of Quirimit as well as his adviser during which period he propelled to a triumph in the 15-day big race in 2003.

In fact he was even given a ‘plaque of appreciation’ and a cash incentive by then Gov. Victor F. Agbayani in September 2001 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, for winning the silver. I was there during the awarding rites that was witnessed by thousand of spectators. That silver medal victory of Quirimit was even published by PDI and the story of the awarding rites was printed in the Philippine Star, authored by Eva Visperas. But I guess the PDI writer missed this.

I called Quirimit and talked about it with him and said he was also sad to know that what he did for the country was not recognized in the newspaper.

There should be an erratum.

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By the time you read this piece, I believe the annual Mangaldan bikefest being held in conjunction with the celebration of its town fiesta is already over or in progress (see related story on this page). This bikefest started in 1974 and was disrupted only once (2003) due to financial constraints on the part of the municipal government. Like in the previous years, I again expect a throng of spectators, especially our balikbayans, to eagerly follow the event, . As of this writing, the live pedal-by-pedal account of this road battle is being worked out with a radio station together with Mangaldan hizzoner Herminio Romero.

Remember, my town Mangaldan already produced four national cycling celebrities (including yours truly).

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Jesus said, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.  Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matthew 6: 1-4

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