Saturday, August 16, 2008 Keep heads up: Team RP told
AFTER 8 days into the 29th Olympic Games, silence, grief and sorrow seem to have lingered the atmosphere of Team Philippines inside the Athletes Village in Beijing, China.
The sad sight, however, caught the attention of top sports officials, prompting them to give some inspirational messages to the athletes, who failed miserably in their respective events.
“We were there together with Cong. Peping (Jose Cojuangco), Butch Ramirez and even Art Macapagal. Sabi namin sa mga atleta natin na huwag silang malungkot dahil they are there because they are the bests in the country. And they alone, who qualified to the Olympics, that’s why they are there (We told out athletes to stop being sad...),” said Philippine Olympic Committee press officer Joey Romasanta in a teleconference at the PSC Olympics Press Secretariat in Manila.
Keep the spirit
Romasanta said they encouraged the athletes not to be ashamed of their respective performances but keep their heads up being the country’s Olympians.
He also confirmed that many things have been discussed already by the sports officials to improve the country’s sports program, which will be geared towards the 2012 Olympics in London.
One of these plans is to have one PSC commissioner to focus only for this Olympic project. Ito lamang ang kanyang tutukan at walang iba pa. It is like reviving the previous “Gintong Alay” program during the early ’80s (He will only focus on this),” stressed Romasanta.
Meanwhile, Henry Dagmil will see action in the men’s long jump as track and field action starts today at the iconic Bird’s Nest.
The 26-year-old native of South Cotabato will either go for a new national record and earn the needed experience against the best of the world or compete unnoticed.
“Malakas talaga ang field, alam naman natin yun. Mahirap talagang manalo dito (This is really a difficult field. It’s hard to win here),” said Dagmil.
Dagmil’s best of 7.99 meters does not even meet the supposed Olympic qualifying mark of 8.05 meters for Class B competitors.
But he is competing as a mandatory male athlete for the country in track and field.
Obligatory
Participation of any country in at least one male event and one female event in athletics and swimming is obligatory by the International Olympic Committee, organizer of the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world.
The country’s other entry in athletics is Marestella Torres, who’ll compete in the women’s long jump on Tuesday as RP’s mandatory female competitor.
In Dagmil’s case, 42 of the 43 entries in the men’s long jump boast of personal high of 8.05 or better with Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba at 8.46 meters, Louis Tsatoumas of Greece (8.44m) and Trevell Quinley of the United States (8.36 meters).
Dagmil, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, trained for more than two months in Los Angeles prior to the Olympics.
Hope
The two Filipino taekwondo jins checked in at the Village shortly before noon yesterday. Tshomlee Go and Mari Antoniette Rivero, who are the country’s remaining hope for gold will see action starting next week.
Both Rivero and Go are aware that the work ahead is no laughing task.
“I understand the pressure. We are excited and eager to compete. But we’ll do our best. I’m sure of that,” said Rivero.
“We’re going to do what we came here for. And that’s to do our best for the country. We’re focused here and we’re ready to play,” pointed out Go, who four years ago in Athens reached as far as the semifinals where she lost to hometown favorite Elizabeth Mystakadou in a thrilling fight, 2-3.
In the repechage, she dropped a 2-6 decision at the hands of Korean Kyung Sung Wang, who eventually won the bronze medal.
On the other hand, Go was booted out right on his first Olympic fight after losing to Spain’s Juan Antonio Carlos, 6-7. (Frank Calapre)
