Pinoys in the Winter Games

There might be no Philippine flag flying in Vancouver, Canada, but as the saying that ‘anywhere in the world you will find a Filipino’ goes, this doesn’t mean that there is no Filipino competing in the event.

Filipino-American skater Amanda Evora, who is pure Pinoy since her father is from Mindoro and the mother is from Isabela, competed in the figure skating pairs event where she and her partner, Mark Ladwig, finished tenth.

Filipino-American John Robert Celski in also in Vancouver and won a bronze medal in the 1,500-meter short-track speed skating event.

His mother is a pure Filipina from Isabela and his dad is American.

I remember many Winter Olympics ago when a Filipino based in Northern America competed in the speed skating event. That was the first time that the Philippine flag was carried by an athlete for the event as far as I can recall.

Since we don’t have snow in our country, we definitely don’t prepare for the Winter Olympics, which happens every four years like the Summer Games or what we better know as the Olympics, but two years apart from each other.

On the years that the Winter Olympics are held, there is also the World Cup of Football and the Asian Games.

The next Olympics (Summer Games) will be hosted by London in 2012.

Other countries that have zero snow also has athletes in the Olympics, but maybe not as celebrated as the Jamaican bobsled team that even had a movie made about their exploits.

The country now regularly sends a bobsled team to the Winter Games and a few African nations.

Well, we better focus our efforts on the Summer Games, where we have long been dreaming of winning a gold medal. Will it happen in London? I hope so.

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While we look at the future and work hard on the present, unfortunately many of our heroes in the past have been left to fend for themselves wallowing in poverty and lost hope after their glory days as athletes.

We’ve seen many of them getting some cash and goods during benefit events, but then obviously such help is not enough.

Many of our sporting heroes of the past die dirt poor maybe because of their own doing when they squandered the money they earned, but many of them do so, because there wasn’t just much to earn in their chosen sport.

Basketball players and boxers are the ones who get a chance of raking in a windfall during their prime and maybe some golfers.

This does not mean that you will have to give up your hopes of becoming a top-caliber athlete in a sport not mentioned above. Being a top athlete can still help you in other ways to attain your financial dreams.

One important factor that can help you do so is discipline and the willingness to do hard work to be the best in your field. Dream on and keep working hard.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings to Dr. Bebot Sarcauga-Chua, who turns a year older today.

Advance greetings go to Dolly Miranda-Weissert, who is celebrating her birthday tomorrow.

More power to both of you! - THE FREEMAN