Youngest girl rider in MS Motosuit TV special today

CEBU, Philippines - She maybe only five years old, but she is full of grits and guts that made her take up motocross. In this extreme sport dominated by men, Jeanette Connock Olanda is indeed one of a kind, a rare breed of sort.

Despite her tender age, Jeanette fearlessly immersed herself in motocross racing inspired by her dad Warren Wright Olanda, himself a champion rider.

The good thing about Jeanette is that she doens't care much on winning. What matters most to her is to be able to show off her riding skills and give her best shot in every competition she joined in.

"Bahala og way trophy, it doesn't matter to me. Malipay naman lang ko nga maka-apil og lumba ug mapakita nako ang akoang riding skills," said Jeanette, who belongs to the Top 10 of her class at St. Catherine's College in Carcar  City. "I make it sure nga bisan sige ko og apil lumba, wala pud nako pasagdii ang akoang studies kay para nako mao na ang labing importante."

Even with that frame of mind, the pride of Sibonga town south of Cebu showed a lot of promise at this stage of her blossoming career. In her first ever race during the Kopiko Supercross Series last February at the South Road Properties (SRP), Olanda made a rousing debut anchored on a third place finish in the female category.

She also had a podium finish in the women's and peewee 50cc class during first and third legs of the 2014 MS Motosuit Motocross Series organized by revered Cebuano businessman-sportsman Lou Ornopia.

"Kining bataa isog gyud ug akong nakita nga kursonada gyud siya. Wa jud siyay kahadlok ulan man o init kaayo. Bisan gani usahay hilantan siya pero mo-race gyud siya. Sa akong bahin, dia lang ko sa iyang kiliran aron sa kanunay mosuporta kaniya," said Jeanette's proud father Warren Wright.

Jeanette Olanda will further share her stunning exploits in motocross in the eighth episode of the MX-RLS (Motocross Rider Life Story), the newest segment of the  MS Motosuit Motocross TV series aired over CCTN 47 every Saturday from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Replays of the weekly show are scheduled every Sunday from 10:30 to 11 o'clock in the evening.

The weekly TV special is the latest of MS Motosuit's innovative move to further promote the sport across the country. Ornopia said they are coming up with the show with hopes that more sports-minded individuals would appeciate the beauty of motocross and eventually inspire them to indulge in this kind of sport.

Some highlights of MS Motosuit's most recent events will also be featured in the 30-minute program. So far, Ornopia has already staged four legs in his comeback race series this year. He  went out of the motocross scene for a year, but shot back to the limelight last April due to his flaming passion for the sport coupled with strong public clamor.

For his calendar of activities this year, Ornopia has scheduled a total of six legs spread in different areas of the province. All races under the MS Motosuit Series will be broadcast over CCTN. — EBV (FREEMAN)