Wushu gold medalist: Pacquiao inspired me
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Jan 2007
ILOILO CITY – Even when he was still a professional boxer here, 2006 Doha Asian Games wushu gold medalist Rene Catalan of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, revealed that he was already a “big fan” of Ring Magazine “boxer of the year” Emmanuel “Pacman” Pacquiao.
“I turned professional (boxer in 1999) because of two things: I failed to enter the Philippine Army (when I was still amateur boxer) and because I was inspired by the success of Manny Pacquiao,” said the 28-year-old Catalan who blanked Vietnamese Phan Qouc Vinh for wushu sanshu gold in the 52-kg in Doha, Qatar last December 14.
Catalan said he was motivated more to follow the footsteps of his idol from Gen. Santos City when he saw him on PTV-4 dismantling the feared Chachai Sasakul in the 10th round to grab the Thai’s World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight round in a Thailand province in September 1999.
The five feet and two inches tall Catalan never hit paydirt as a professional boxer because most of his fights were held in Panay island under dubious promotions. As amateur boxer, he was gold medalist in the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet and lost only to fellow champion Ronald Cuambot of this city in the 45-kg.
Catalan decided to abandon boxing and turned to wushu in 2000 upon invitation of local martial arts impresario Arnold Tinagan who owns a gym in YMCA on Iznart St., City Proper here.
After a series of successful national tournaments and tryouts, he became a member of the Philippine Team and underwent a rigid training in China. He was sent to several international tournaments and won the gold medal in the World Cup in Macau in 2004.
Catalan also won the gold medal in the Manila Southeast Asian (SEA) Games the following year in the 48-kg.
He nearly did not make it to Doha Asian Games after Baguio Rep. Maurico G. Domogan and Cordillera Wushu Federation president Tony Candelaria wrote Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP) president Julian Camacho and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to give Catalan’s slot to the “taller and younger” Baguio native Benjie Rivera.
“Catalan is merely 5’3” compared with Rivera who is 5’8” and only 19 compared with the former who is 28,” wrote Candelaria.
The POC ignored them and sent Catalan to Doha, Qatar.
Catalan was honored Iloilo Gov. Niel D. Tupas when he arrived here last December 24 and by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Tre?as last December 29.
Aside from the P1.5 million cash incentive he received from Malaca?ang, he also pocketed P50,000 cash from First Gentleman Migule Arroyo’s foundation.
“Not all the P1.5 million went to me because I had to share the money with my teammates who failed to win a medal,” Catalan said.
He will no longer accept a coaching job for the Yemen wushu team which would have netted him a car and a fat salary after he was prevailed upon by wushu officials in the country to give another try this time in the Bangkok SEA Games next year, he said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
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