Taking the path to becoming a champion in life

MANILA, Philippines - Whether it’s in sports or in life, everyone dreams of becoming a champion. One of the ways by which this can be achieved is through sports, which helps inculcate character-forming values like discipline, respect, honesty, and dedication. Never was this more evident than at the recent National Milo Little Olympics held in Cebu City, which brought together thousands of the country’s finest young student athletes in celebration of solidarity and sports excellence.

“The fervor, commitment, talent, and desire of these young student athletes make the National Milo Little Olympics more fulfilling and successful for everyone involved,” says Nestlé Philippines president and CEO John Miller.

Ten-year-old Alexa Raine Robino of National Life Christian College in Marikina City clearly showed her fighting spirit during the event. Despite her family falling victim to tropical storm Ondoy, Alexa fought hard and won for herself a silver medal in taekwondo. Her mom Rowena said they were not even sure of making the trip to Cebu, but Alexa’s strong desire to compete was too strong to ignore. “I would have wanted to win the gold for Mama and Papa so they won’t feel sad anymore about what happened,” says Alexa. But mommy Rowena says the silver and her daughter’s strong character were more than enough to make them happy.

Aside from giving participants the chance to test their skills against the best, the National Milo Little Olympics is also a venue for fostering friendships, like in the case of Joennie Ferrer of Caloocan City and Earl Christopher Mandapat of Quezon City. “We were only rivals during competitions but once it was over, we were friends,” says Joennie, who first met Earl on a boat trip from Manila to Cebu. “The National Milo Little Olympics is definitely an event that we won’t forget,” says Earl.