SCOOP sa MAASIN: THE QUEST FOR OUR FIRST OLYMPIC BOXING GOLD
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 23 Feb 2013
MAASIN CITY (PNA) ? The quest for the man who stands to end the country?s thirst for a first ever Olympic gold medal is believed to have been discovered in the 2013 PLDT-ABAP National Boxing Championships which lowered its curtains yesterday at the Maaswin City Gym here.
?Yes, I believe so,? muttered Maasin Mayor Maloney Samaco in yesterday?s special SCOOP session held at the posh Kinamot Sa Abgao Restaurant in Villa Romana Hotel.
?Not necessarily from the four Maasin fighters who made it to the finals but from among the 29 others who survived the rigorous four-day elimination rounds leading to the gold medal fights,? the amiable city executive said during the public service forum, sponsored by AKTV and FILA.
The amiable Chief City Executive, who is seeking a third team as Mayor of this capital city of Southern Leyte in the coming mid-term elections, to the bumper crops of young and fresh talents discovered in the exercise.
All winners in their respective divisions stand to join the national training pool from where members of the national teams will be trained for future international competitions, including the 2-16 Brazil Olympic Games.
Arlo Chavez, a member of the national coaching staff, clarified though that those who will be absorbed in the national pool will depend on the slots to be given by the Philippine sports Commission.
?The plan really is to absorb all the gold medalists that will emerge in this competition. Pero depende pa rin kung ilan ang kayang gastusan ng PSC,? Chavez himself an Olympian, who joined Mayor Samaco in the session representing ABAP executive director Ed Picson along with British coaching consultant Kevin Smith, clarified.
Chavez and Smith agreed with the Mayor to the discovery talents who could qualify to join the training pool.
?Napakarami talaga kaming nakitang magagaling at may mga potential at nakakahinayang na kung hindi maa-accommodate,? Chavez lamented.
Mayor Samaco even offered to make his smoke-free city as a training center, should ABAP decides to put up one, for the purpose of preparing the new-found talents for international commitments.
?I offered to host this year?s Open with the hope of helping in the discovery of fresh talents, which I believe we have succeeded. I won?t stop there. Kung may magagawa pa ako at ang aking mga kababayan, nakahanda kaming tumulong pa,? he averred.
A total of 132 fighters aged from age 15 representing 25 teams all over the country, turned out during Monday?s opening ceremony in the hope of making it to the pool and, finally, to the national teams.
Smith, who was contracted by ABAP to help prepare for medals quests in this year and 2015 Southeast Asian Games, 2014 Asian Games and the Olympic Games, expressed amazement for the turnouts.
?I am really surprised and amazed seeing so many hopefuls. If you can draw this many talent to compete in a competition like this, I can?t see any reasons why you can?t have prospective Olympic medalists,? Smith said.
Photo: Maasin city mayor Maloney Samaco (L) poses with world champion Donnie Nietes.
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