GO For Gold Philippines is looking to bounce back next year after missing its shot to break the Guinness World Record for the most number of people dribbling simultaneously.
"Hindi nagpapatalo ang Pilipino. Uulitin natin ito hanggang makuha natin,’’ said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go after a foiled attempt to erase the record on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds in Pasay City.
Go said the event that gathered almost 4,000 dribblers still achieved its chief goal of supporting sports development by providing free sports equipment to the schools down to the barangays.
"We still achieved our goal,’’ said Go, also the vice president for marketing of Powerball Marketing & Logistics Corporation, the prime mover behind the Go For Gold project.
"Those 4,000 people will bring those balls sa mga bahay at barangays nila, at hindi lang isang tao ang makikinabang dyan. Hopefully after this, more people will play the game,’’ added Go.
Over two hundred national athletes from triathlon, skateboarding, sepak takraw, wrestling, cycling, volleyball, basketball, chess, canoe-kayak and dragonboat arrived and supported the record-shattering attempt, which is part of the country’s drumbeating for the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, especially the Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force, also came in full force along with the Philippine National Police during the event that featured Scratch it! brand ambassadors Nadine Lustre and Sam Concepcion.
The most number of people dribbling a basketball simultaneously was 7,556 during an event organized by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine on July 22, 2010.
Players from the San Juan Knights-Go For Gold, the reigning champions of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, and PBA D-League champion Go For Gold-CSB were also in attendance as well as players from the Philippine Navy Sea Lions (basketball) and PH Air Force Spikers (volleyball).