Girl, 9, eyed future motocross champ

NOT even their early age prevented Mia Villalon and Jaypaul Samuel Wayet in joining the thrilling yet risky sport of motocross.

With several podium finishes under her belt, nine-year-old Mia is seen to be the country’s top lady motocross rider while six year old Sam, who just got into the sport of dirt bikes, is also seen to become a future champion.

Inspired by their father’s passion for the sport, the two had seriously taken the sport for the promise of being one of the county’s top riders in the not so distant future.

“Dati kasi sa mountain bike ang hilig ni Mia, pero nung nagtagal eh medyo gusto nya yung medyo extreme kaya sinubukan naming bilhan ng motorbike at mula nun eh tuloy–tuloy na yung paghsali nya sa karera,” relates Mia’s father, Arnold, who owns a motorcycle shop along Trancoville.

The older Villalon said Mia was also inspired by his uncle, Ryan Villalon, Arnold’s cousin, who is also a motocross racer.

“She started to ride the motorcycle at the age of seven and that was when she first joined a competition in Gapan, Nueva Ecija,” added Arnold where Mia finished fifth.

And as they say for Mia was the rest was history.

Joining 11 races in 2009, Mia never failed to land in the podium where her highest finish was 2nd in the Philippine Motocross Series in Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

In fact, Mia’s feat earned her the accolades as one of the best 50cc riders of her age by the National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association.

Recently, Mia also landed another podium finish at number three at the end of the race following her strings of podium finishes in earlier races this year held across the country.

And for six year old Jaypaul, his journey in the word of motocross recently is fast gaining him popularity where after three racers he already landed in the podium, the highest was a second place finish in Tarlac.

“Nagsimula syang makipagkarera sa Naguilian (La Union) tapos yun na tulo-tuloy na rin hopefully e masustain nung bata yung enthusiasm,” said father, Jason, a former basketball varsity of then BCF, now University of the Cordilleras.

“Nung una eh medyo naghesitate pa yung asawa ko na payagan siya sa ganyang klase ng sport pero nung nagtagal eh naging supportive na rin,” added the older Wayet.

Even without the presence of a descent race track for motocross, both the Villalon’s and Wayet’s find time to train alongside with each other as far as San Fernando City in La Union although makeshift race track along Loakan Road and Green Valley are also being utilized to hone their skill.