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Friday, March 29, 2024

Ramirez to Pinoy athletes: Love for mother land comes first

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It was the night for hundreds of national athletes to eat and be merry. After all, it was a fellowship for national athletes and coaches aptly dubbed Pagmamahal sa Inang Bayan-Sports for Change at the Ultra Arena in Pasig City.

The athletes were treated to sumptuous dinner, entertainment by fellow, talented athletes and celebrity bands. And most of all, they got reassurance of generous support from the government, financial or otherwise. 

For Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Butch Ramirez, it was the most appropriate time to appeal to the country’s top athletes, who are gearing up for the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games in August, to put the country’s interest first. 

His battle cry—“love for our motherland.” 

“We are in need of heroes that will inspire the next generation. Change (in sports) is now. We have to have the right mindset of sacrificing for our country. So please, let’s do this for our country.” 

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Ramirez wants to instill in the minds of the athletes the word sacrifice, not for self-gratification, but for the country even as he recalled a visit to Cuba years ago and saw inscriptions spread all over the country that read “Love of country or death.” 

Two athletes from Philspada perform the wheel chair dance sport in an entertainment number that wowed those in attendance at the fellowship night for athletes and coaches. Peter Atencio

Facing the athletes, Ramirez asked: “Mahirap bang mahalin ang ating bayan? Kaya bang mahalin ang ating bayan?” 

After weighlifter Hidilyn Diaz ended two-decades of medal drought in the Olympics with her silver medal finish in Rio last year, the country again will once again embark on its quest for the elusive gold. 

And the preparation the for Tokyo 2020 Olympics starts right with the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia in August. 

“It has to start somewhere, and we start as early as now. The Olympics is not a stand-alone competition.  The SEA Games is our first stop in this journey,” said Ramirez. 

To help boost the morale of the athletes, some former champion athletes like taekwondo jin Japoy Lizardo, billiards’ Rubilen Amit, nine-times SEAG judo gold medalist John Baylon and five-times SEAG gold medalist in rowing Benjie Tolentino gave inspirational messages through video feed. 

Bowling hall of famer Paeng Nepomuceno and chess grandmaster Eugene Torre personally attended the event and also gave their words of wisdom. 

“Sama-sama tayong ipakita ang pagmamahal sa sports and inang bayan. Pag nauna yan, lahat ng pagod at sakripisyo ay hindi natin mararamdaman. Sapagkat ang una sa puso ay para sa bayan iyan,” said Torre. 

 PSC chairman Butch Ramirez (extreme right) and with commissioners Celia Kiram, Arnold Agustin and Charles Maxey offering a toast. Peter Atencio

All the sports disciplines were represented, including boxing and cycling whose coaches vowed to provide gold medals for the Philippine in their SEAG campaign.

Boxing’s deep pool 

Coach Boy Velasco of the Association Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) said they are poised to dominate three of the five weight categories of boxing. 

The Philipines will have Olympian Rodgen Ladon and recent world youth silver medalist Carlo Paalam in the 49-kg. category;  Ian Clark Bautista or Ryan Saludar in the 52-kgs and Mario Fernandez in the 56 kgs. The other weight categories to be contested are in the 64 and 71 kgs. 

We could have two more gold medal potentials had the Malaysia SEAG organizer not scratched the 60-kg. division, where Olympia Charly Suarez is the top favorite, and the 74-kg class dominated by Eumir Marcial. 

“Malalim ang pool natin saying lang nga na-cancelled ang dalawang weight categories na almost sure na ang gold natin. Wala kasing panlaban sa divisions na yun ang Malaysia kaya inalis nila,” said Velasco. 

Velasco said the youngest member of the elite team is Paalam who will turn 19 in July, in time for the SEAG in August. Paalam was nurtured in the national juniors and youth teams by coach Ronald Chavez.

Coaches and boxers of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines

Caluag brothers coming back 

Cycling is also expected to deliver much-needed gilts as defending SEAG champions Danny and Christopher Caluag, have vowed to come back and don the Philippine uniforms in the biennial meet. 

The Filipino-American Caluag brothers were the gold and silver finishers in the men’s BMX competition of the 2015 Myanmar SEA Games. Sienna Fines, also a Fil-American, will also be back to defend her crown in the women’s BMX division. 

“Sabi nila sakin, in my communication with them through email, na babalik sila to play for the Philippines kaya nag entry by number na kami na kasama sila,” said Philippine national coach Cezar Lobramonte. 

Homegrown top bet Marella Salamat, who was the Individual Time Trial champion in Myamar, will be back to compete but this time in the criterium race. 

“Na-scratch kasi ung ITT kay sa criterium na siya lalaro,” said Lobramonte where Salamat has a chance for at least a silver medal based on her timed performance. 

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