Mendoza: World-class, yes, but not Olympic-class
-A A +AAll Write
Saturday, June 30, 2012
I KNOW the world may not be expecting us to take home multiple gold medals. But I believe in the capacity of the Filipino to surprise.”
That’s from P-Noy, our President, our butler, our No. 1 servant.
And they were excerpts from P-Noy’s speech read by Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras during the recent send-off party for our Olympians to the London Games set to blast off on July 27, expectedly amid pomp and bombast like all past Olympic opening ceremonies.
For the record, the Olympians present that evening were boxer Mark Anthony Barriga, long jumper Marestella Torres, steeplechaser Rene Herrera, shooter Brian Rosario, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, and swimmers Jasmine Alkhadi and Jessie Khing Lacuna.
Judoka Tomohiko Hoshina and BMX rider Danny Caluag are abroad training.
Archers Mark Javier and Rachel Cabral are awaiting confirmation on whether or not they have qualified in the quadrennial meet. They are in the US training, too.
Seemingly, P-Noy was in the mood for surprise during the party. And if there was another surprise yet that evening--if not the real surprise I should say--it was Almendras, who else.
This is not to nitpick but why P-Noy picked the Energy Secretary to represent him picks, if not pricks, my brain.
The President, our butler, our No. 1 servant, also said at the party held at Blue Leaf on McKinley Hill in Taguig inside the famed The Fort: “I believe in the capacity of the Filipino to be excellent in anything they do – to be world-class.”
We’ve always been world-class, Mr. President. Proof to this are Manny Pacquiao, Lea Salonga, Cecille Licad and, yes, Jessica Sanchez and Erik Spoelstra.
However, world-class does not always necessarily mean Olympic-class.
We’ve never been Olympic-class as we have yet to win an Olympic gold medal.
Twice we’ve been close, winning silver medals in boxing through Anthony Villanueva in Tokyo 1964 and Onyok Velasco in Atlanta1996.
Ah, boxing again. Of our 11 or so London Olympians, so much hope, therefore, would be pinned on our lone boxer, Barriga.
The rest?
It seems enough that they are world-class.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 01, 2012.
Sports
Forum rules: Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the discussion. Be coherent and respectful. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!
