STORIES of sacrifices by Gilas Pilipinas players, who were called to represent the country in the recent Hangzhou Asian Games without asking for anything in return, were told and recently made the rounds on the internet.
But many athletes in other sports did the same. And Filipino BMX rider Danny Caluag did more than that.
Racing in the final with a hurting rib that was broken in his training in the US, the veteran rider Fil-American rider played the “big brother’s” role to help teammate Patrick Coo bag the bronze medal in the BMX racing of cycling in the Asian Games.
“Nag-sakripisyo si Danny para kay Patrick,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who heads PhilCycling.
“Prinotektahan niya si Patrick sa mga kalaban.”
Caluag saw his younger teammate’s potential to win despite the latter crashing in the first moto of the 12-cyclist final, scraping the upper part of his right thigh.
But instead of going for a better finish, the 2014 Asian Games’ gold medalist protected his younger teammate from pursuers that included two Chinese riders.
Caluag, 36, was in the thick of the race, but was shoved to sixth place in the final.