By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

THE Philippine National Games (PNG) and the Batang Pinoy Championships (BPC) resumed last year after three years of suspension due to COVID-19. This year, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the twin annual sports events will be held on December 17-22 to be hosted this time by Tagaytay City, Tolentino’s hometown. Twenty-five sports events, namely, basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, track and field, etc. will be contested by the best of our country’s athletes representing their respective provinces.

The BPC is for young athletes and divided into two categories, 14 to 15 years old and 16 to 17 years old, while the PNG is for 18 years old and above division. Gold, silver and bronze medalists of each event will be automatically be drafted to the national training pool where they will join other prominent athletes. Of course, only those who show good prospects of winning will be selected to be part of our national team to the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games and the Asian Games. Olympic Games? It’s a different story. Unlike the SEA and Asia Games, our nationals have to pass the Olympic qualifying marks first, before they can qualify to play in the Olympics. Remember, Olympic Games is the oldest and the most prestigious sports spectacle on Earth.  (I was a member of the Philippines national cycling team in 1964 so I know how the training goes, how the selection is done).

Honestly, except for our provincial cycling team, I’m not aware of the composition of the Pangasinan contingent to the two national events. If the list is not changed in the last minute, our cycling delegation will be spearheaded by 2018 Ronda Pilipinas champion Ronald Oranza of Villasis, Tour veterans Melvin Corpuz of Umingan and Dominic Perez of Sto. Tomas, respectively. Others are neophyte riders Efren Reyes of Dagupan City, Ivan Torio of Bugallon and Angelito Sepalagio of Sual. Being adult riders, the six will only compete in the PNG’s road races. Unfortunately, my town mate, the 2018 Le Tour de Filipinas winner El Joshua Cariño of Mangaldan is out of the country.

I’m rushing this piece on December 14 to beat my deadline as I’m busy preparing my third birthday cycling race scheduled on December 17, a day before my 78^th golden day. So, by the time you read this piece, the event is already over and the results will be published here, next week issue. The 44 kilometers bikefest is only for 50 years and above avid cyclists where, as usual, cash prizes and medals are at stake. Like the past two years, my generous friend Excellent Noodles proprietor Alex Billan is the patron anew and with the able support of my other kind-hearted amigo, Lingayenian Silvestre Rayos, Jr. I doff my hat for you guys. God bless us, all.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And He said to them; “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. “Therefore, I say to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” JOHN 8: 23-24

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