Will our Olympic Gold Quest end in 2012?
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Dec 2010
National boxing coach Roel Velasco expressed his hope that the country stands to end its 86-year Olympic gold medal thirst two years from now in the quadrennial conclave?s 2012 edition in London.
Speaking at the SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura, Velasco said that with the present crops of new talents the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines has discovered, it won?t be long for the Philippines to realized its long time dream, he himself, brother Mansueto ?Onyok? and a host of other silver and bronze medalists failed before.
Velasco, a bronze medalist in the 1992 Games held in Barcelona, specifically cited Asian Games gold medalist, flyweight Rey Saludar, and his younger brother Vic , a light-fly and an Asiad bronze medalist, as among those ABAP hierarchy is pinning its hopes to accomplish that goal.
?The core of our national pool are young and determined in their quest for honors for the country and themselves so that I believe our first Olympic gold can come from this batch,? he told his audience even as he also mentioned bantamweight Charly Suarez and a host of women fighters, headed by Annie Albania as prospects, too.
?Bukod sa determinado, masunurin sa mga itinuturo ng kanilang coach, kaya naman nagiging successful sila. Wala pang ere sa katawan,? he added citing the all-all support being extended by ABAP, headed by its president, Ricky Vargas and chair, Manny V. Pangilinan, as the pool members? motivation to really excell in their trades.
Rey himself, the elder of the Saludar boxing brothers at 23, echoed the team?s sentiment, saying their quest for glory did not end in winning medals in the Asian level competitions.
?And target po namin noong kami?s mapili sa national team ay ang makamit ang minimithing Olympic gold medal kubg kaya?s ito ang pipilitin naming maabot hanggang makakaya namin sa pamamagitan ng puspusang preparasyon,? Rey said. ???
Bowling gold medalist Biboy Rivera and 9-ball gold medal winner in billiards Dennis Orcollo,who were also at the session, sponsored by TV-5, Mang Inasal and FILA, ikewise, echoed the South Cotabato fighters? sentiment.
Rivera, who is also a world bowling champion, for one, said that with the conflict of schedule in regards to his personal coach and the national coach finally settled, there is no stopping him from representing anew the country in future international competitions.
?The Philippine Bowling Congress has allowed me to train exclusively with my personal coach, Madoka Amano, so wala nang sagabal sa ensayo ko. Nahirapan kasi ako nitong nakaraan taon dahil sa ensayo sa personal coach ko tapos ensayo na naman sa national team coach, kaya medyo naapektuhan ang laro ko,? he bared.
?Of course my concern now is the seven-leg World Tour, which starts February next year, and the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, if I can qualify.
Ditto to Orcollo, the 32-year-old cue pride of Surigao, who said the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines president, under its president ?Bong Ilagan, will be concentrating on several international meets besides preparing, too, for the SEA Games.
?Ang unang paghahandaan namin ay ang World Pool Masters late this year sa Las Vegas on the way to competing, too, in several world-class competitions, mostly in the U.S. para paghandaan na rin ang SEA Games, Orcollo who was accompanied at the forum by coaches Francisco ?Django? Bustamante and Boyet Asonto and Warren Kiamco, the man he beat for the gold medal. said.
Also present as guests were national pool team members Benjie Guevarra, AlvinBarbero, Iris Ranola, Flor Andal and Maryan Basas.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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