Mendoza: A diamond in the rough

RHEA Bullos recently won five gold medals in track and fields events.

No, she didn’t achieve them in the just-ended 30th Southeast Asian Games, otherwise, she would have also ended up as someone awash in cash, like SEAG gold medalists Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, EJ Obiena of pole vault, Margielyn Didal of skateboarding and Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, among others.

Instead, Bullos went home with five metals minus a single cent lining up her pocket.

And where did Rhea shine on?

In Iloilo City’s 2019 Iloilo School Sports Council (ISSC) Meet ending on Friday, Dec. 13.

But take this: Rhea gained more prominence as a barefoot runner than as the meet’s most bemedaled athlete.

Well, not totally barefoot.

In her races, Rhea, only 11 years old and standing 4-feet-11, protected her precious feet with a “putos” (cover or wrapper) made of elastic bandage strips glued over a sanitary napkin under the sole serving as cushion.

Rhea, from Balasan town, said she felt uncomfortable running with her shoes on.

Rhea’s coach, Predirick Valenzuela, has approved of it as he admits he himself had used the device in winning the 4x100-m relay silver in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.

The “plastic and adhesive-napkin” footwear—if it can be called that—has been in use by athletes in Iloilo’s Congressional District Sports Association-5 meet since 2010.

While it may be true that Rhea—and, perhaps, several of her fellow athletes, too—is uncomfortable competing with her shoes on, still, I insist that she be encouraged to wear running shoes from hereon.

In her, I see a diamond in the rough.

Rhea may be successful now using that athletic “gear” in provincial meets but if she is to be developed for future global events, we should start teaching her how to compete with her running shoes on.

Valenzuela, if he’s a true-blue coach, must take the lead. Now.

Did you ever see a barefoot runner in the just-ended SEA Games? Taboo. Not allowed.

I hate to see a talent turn to waste.

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