OLYMPIC MEDAL DROUGHT TO END IN RIO 2016
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 27 Feb 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- The Philippines? chance of winning its first gold medal has been bolstered by the results of the recently-ended PLDT-ABAP National Open Boxing Championships held in Maasin City in Southern Leyte. Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco had even projected that the country?s long, 79-year quest for that elusive gold-coated hardware had just ended with the discovery of at least 29 fresh talents coming from all corners of the archipelago.
?We this bumper crops of talented fighters we discovered in the five-day competitions, I don?t see any reason why we can miss winning that gold medal in the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro or, if not, in the next edition of the quadrennial conclave,? the indefatigable Maasin Chief Executive predicted a day after the closing ceremony.
Mayor Samaco, actually, reiterated the previous statement made during Friday?s SCOOP special session held at the Kinamot sa Agbao Restaurant in Villa Romanao Hotel where he was accepted as a Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines regular member.
In that special forum, the Mayor said that the boxer who could win the first Olympic gold can come from the 40 who made it to the finals in the junior, youth and elite categories.
All the gold medalists, headed by come backing Victorio Saludar, who emerged triumphant in the elite light-flyweight division via a first round RSCO (referee stopped contest outclassed), and local girl, flyweight Ruby Nicanor, will be recommended top join the ABAP national training pool.
?Malayo pa naman ang 2016, three years pa and we still have enough time to prepare. Hopefully, we can train these guys to eventually join the national teams to thius year?s Southeast Asian Games, 2014 Asian Games then the Brazil Olympic Games,? Samaco said.
The amiable Mayor, who hosted the most successful National Open ever in terms of organization and actual competitions, even offered his city to be made one of the boxing training centers ABAP is planning to establish in the provinces to help boost its talent identification and development programs.
?Of course, I would like the City of Maasin to be a boxing training center, if there would be one and I?m sure our people will love that,? he assured. ?We spent P20 million hosting the Open, eh bakit naman hindi na makakayang mag-maintain ng isang training center para sa ating national boxers at para sa bayan??
?We have local facilities here. Maybe not as big as those in Metro Manila and Luzon, but we have gyms built in all, except four of our 70 Barangays,? he disclosed. ?Malinis ang aming siyudad, smoke-free because we have been promoting healthy lifestyle among our constituents.?
The Mayor took pride in Maasin, a 12-year city of 82,000, having been the recipient of the Red Orchid Award thrice, an honor bestowed to the Most Peaceful City in the Southern City.
?Here, I can go anywhere without a bodyguard. We have zero insurgency, zero kidnapping, zero robbery. IN all, zero lahat dito ang crime,? he assured.
Besides Saludar, those who will be recommended to the national pool in the elite class (18-22) are Jay Ar Inson of Davao del Norte, Jolan Bunghanoy of Davao del Norte and teammates Quirino Mellejor Jr. and Risty Apas. Besides Nicanor, gold medalists were in the distaff youth girls class (17-18) ? Jossa Sanestiban of Bago City, Alexcel Dargantes of General Santos City, Beverly Casero of Misamis Oriental and Cristy Jane Rivas.
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