By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

OUR national weather bureau just announced that the wet season this year is already over and clarified that there might be some rain showers during the night. These are the signs that Christmas time is already just around the corner.

Our athletes, particularly those in our national teams in outdoor sports like football, baseball, cycling, marathon, track and field and lawn tennis can already begin to train regularly and vigorously sans hindrances and obstacles in preparation for their national championship stints, particularly, our nationals who already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games scheduled on July 26 – August 11 next year.

Meanwhile, our province’s cyclists, consistently one of the contributors of national sports honor, then and until now, were elated upon hearing from me that a one-day road race will be conducted on November 27 in Lingayen. It will be exclusively for Pangasinenses which will serve as one good tune-up to prepare them for their participation in the national championship calendared early next year.

The bikefest, dubbed as “Arangkadaan ed Lingayen Cycling Classic”, will coincide with the 160th birth anniversary of one of our national heroes. the katipunero leader Andres Bonifacio, will see big guns in Pangasinan cycling.  It will start and finish in downtown Lingayen and will pass four times the triangular circuitous route of Soconi junction (Bugallon), Bongalon junction (Labrador), Domalandan junction (Lingayen), before proceeding to the finish line with approximate distance of 104 kilometers and with a maximum of 70 participants. The bikefest is under the organization and auspices of the Lingayen local government headed by the capital town’s chief executive the sports-minded Leopoldo N. Bataoil. Of course, medals and ideal cash prizes are at stake for the winners.

Aside from the bikefest, the hard-working and energetic LIngayen executive Bataoil said he will present award to the 21 former national Tour champions who gave multiple honors to Pangasinan pioneered by Rufino Gabot of Manaoag in 1957 Tour of Luzon. Others are: Mamerto Eden of Mapandan (1958 Tour of Luzon), Edmundo de Guzman of Lingayen (1962 Tour of Luzon), Gonzalo Recodos of Manaoag (1963 Tour of Luzon), this writer, Jesus Garcia, Jr. of Mangaldan (1973 Tour of Luzon, 1977 Tour of PICCA, 1977 Marlboro Tour), Teodorico Rimarim of Basista (1974 Tour of Luzon), Samson Cariño of Mangaldan (1975 Tour of PICCA), Samson Etrata of Binalonan (1975 Tour of Luzon), Modesto Bonzo of Sual (1976 Tour of Luzon), Jacinto Sicam of San Manuel (1981, 1982 Marlboro Tour), Romeo Bonzo of Sual (1983 Marlboro Tour), Ruben Cariño of Mangaldan (1984 Malboro Tour), Pepito Calip of Binalonan (1985 Marlboro Tour), Bernardo Llentada of San Nicolas (1991 Malboro Tour), Reynaldo Navarro of San Jacinto (2000 Pilipinas Bikathon), Wilfredo Calosa of San Jacinto (2001 FedEx Tour), Santy Barnachea of Umingan (2002 Le Tour de Filipinas, 2006 Padyak Pinoy, 20011 Ronda Pilipinas, 2015 Ronda Pilipinas), Arnel Quirimit of Pozorrubio (2003 Tour ng Pilipinas), El Joshua Cariño of Mangaldan (2018 Le Tour de Filipinas), and the last, so far, Ronald Oranza of Villasis (2018 Ronda Pilipinas). Four of erstwhile national Tour champions already passed on, namely, Eden, Rimarim, Sicam and Romeo Bonzo. They will be presented posthumous awards each after the race.

I wholeheartedly doff my hat to Mayor Bataoil, for giving our province’s cyclists another chance to prove their worth, anew. Mabuhay po kayo mga ginoo.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” MATTHEW 6: 6

 

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