|
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Peping: More Pinoys in sports
By Jade S. Violeta
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Peping Cojuangco yesterday gave athletes a reason to hope for a brighter future as he bared plans for Philippine sports.
Speaking before an estimated crowd of more than two thousands including the athletes and officials of the 15 regional delegations in yesterday’s opening-day ceremonies of the National Private Schools Athletic Association Games at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, Cojuangco told the athletes that their future in sports begins in the Prisaa.
Cojuangco, also the Philippine Equestrian Association president, said that as president of the POC, his program is one that propagates and encourages more Filipinos to engage in sports.
Bigwigs
Also present in the opening were Philippine Sports Commission head Leon Montemayor, Prisaa board of trustee member Emmanuel Angeles, Prisaa National president Rev. Fr. William H. Kreutz and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso L. Lobregat.
“One of the POC’s more important programs encourages more Filipinos to go into sports.
Nakakasawa na yung parati nating sinasabi sa ating sarili tuwing may international competition na ‘hay salamat at nakasali rin ako kaya lang hindi nanalo (It’s boring to say to ourselves that every time there is an international competition that we are glad we are able to join although unable to win),” said Cojuangco.
He added that the Philippines needs to emulate what the Chinese government is doing in its sports program if Filipinos hope to win that elusive first gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Cojuangco said that during his recent visit to China, with whom the Philippines has forged an agreement with the Chinese sports officials to allow some Filipino athletes to train there in preparation for the coming Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines will host this November, he saw some slogans there with sayings that should be emulated by Filipino athletes.
“In China, I saw slogans that read ‘This is for Our Country’ and ‘This is from our Country.’ What the Chinese are saying is that things that the Filipino athletes should have in mind,” Cojuangco said.
Dedication
“We need to search for athletes willing to dedicate a portion of his life in training to achieve that first-ever gold in the Olympics. And with this, we need to have an athlete with that particular mental attitude for us to win that elusive gold in the Olympics,” Cojuangco said.
This mental attitude, Cojuangco added, is vital for an athlete as the latter can’t rely solely on his or her ability and skills to win in international competitions but also in the latter’s determination and spirit to overcome the odds.
Cojuangco likewise bared the country’s plans to build a centralized training center in Clark Field, where Prisaa Board of Trustee member Emmanuel “Manny” Angeles has promised to provide 25 hectares of land.
Presently, Cojuangco said that the country has already hired the services of some foreign coaches and training officials for the Filipino athletes set to compete in the 2005 SEA Games like the Chinese mentors for swimming, diving and badminton as well as trainors and coaches from Russia and Australia.
The POC has also hired nutritionists and doctors.
Meanwhile, after the parade by all the delegates from the Pettit Barracks going into the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, formal hostilities start today in all the 13 sports disciplines in different venues around the city.
Athletes of the Prisaa-7 delegation, headed by Prisaa 7 president Rev. Fr. Vic Uy and athletics directors Camilo Go (USP), Dioscoro Himotas (USJ-R) and Bernard Ricablanca (UC) start their quest for glory in all events except sepak takraw and some athletics events, which have been cancelled due to lack of equipment.
Set to see action in the finals in Men’s athletics are University of Cebu’s Joseph Codino in the 10,000 meter run, Alden Amora in javelin throw, Edward Encontro in long jump, Adeson Gerson and University of Southern Philippines’ Timoteo Margaha in 100m run, Michael Kenn Lopez in the 800m run and Margaha and UC’s Sandy Cahutay in the 110m hurdles.
In the distaff side, set to see action in the finals are University of San Jose Recoletos’ Rodelyn Compañero and Mary Rose Arman for Women’s javelin throw while the others are still in the semifinals this morning.
The swimming team is also set for action alongside the Men’s basketball team, composed of the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, who will go up against the Cagayan (Region 10) cagers at 10:30 a.m., and the Women’s cage team, composed of players from UC, Silliman and USC, who will battle host Zamboanga at 7 a.m.
The other events to be competed in the weeklong sportsfest at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex are baseball, lawn tennis (M/W), sepak takraw, softball (W) and volleyball (M/W).
Ateneo de Zamboanga University, on the other hand, will host the badminton, taekwondo, Mutya ng Prisaa selection and the vocal solo competitions while the Pilar College and the Claret High School will be hosting the table tennis and the chess events respectively.
Six other venues – the Zaec-IHK Open Court, Zamboanga City Gymnasium, Wicas Covered Court, Sta. Maria field, Icas Covered Court and the Lim Bros. Badminton Court – are being readied as alternate venues.
(April 12, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
