Excitement

What happiness to see Mikee’s riding friends from way back when she was 16 years old converging in Manila for the Southeast Asian Games. All are family to us. Everyone greeted me Tita Tingting: from Malaysia, Ambacks and Nazrof; from Indonesia, Rafiq and Titin; from Brunei, Putri; and from Singapore, Ala.

They arrived at different dates with their ferriers, trainers, stable boys and, of course, horses! And the fact that there are more spare horses left me awed at the arrangements.

Seeing all of them ride and go over the jumps nails me to my seat. The scariest part of the riding competition is watching Mikee do the jumps. It leaves my hands sweaty and cold. But it’s good to know all the mommies who are watching feel like me, numb from fear for the safety of their children and victory over every hurdle in silence. After the last hurdle, ohs, ahs, and ayes are sighed and we all feel soft as cotton. Zurina Ambak couldn’t help but lean on her husband Hadji’s shoulder, and Fely Arroyo, her lips tied together in silence, was so different from the way she appeared in the courtroom. And Toni’s Mom seemed relieved, although she’s a veteran at watching her daughter, too.

It was the same when I watched the competitions for taekwondo, the committee of which Robert Aventejado heads. I was so cold at seeing those kicks and I didn’t even have a child in the ring competing.

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Finally, mabuhay si Police Senior Inspector Nelson Pacalso of the Philippine National Police Academy Class ’98 who shocked the sporting world when he won the gold medal this 23rd Southeast Asian Games in Mandaue City, Cebu. He prevailed over his tough Vietnamese opponent in the karatedo competition. The victory was sweeter because it was won only by one point.

A graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy, Senior Inspector Pacalso scored a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime win over Vietnam’s NV Toan to pocket the gold in the men’s individual 65+kg category.

At that instance, Pacalso was staring at a 1-4 deficit with only 30 seconds left in regulation play. Fired up by the prospect of letting the audience down, he charged with a determination like there was no tomorrow, racked up three straight points to end the regulation at 4-4, forcing a one-minute extension.

Police Senior Inspector Pacalso was born 35 years ago in Baguio. He is a criminology graduate and an expert on narcotics, intelligence, investigation and close quarter battle.

As a local karatedo player, he has won three medals (medalya ng kagalingan). Police Senior Inspector Nelson Pacalso, we salute you!

And hats off to Maria Montelibano for the colorful first solemn with Philippine National Police Academy cadets, followed by the Boy Scouts march, then boisterous ati-atihan and Filipino interpretation of dances from different countries, but rendered in good taste at the opening of the Southeast Asian Games ceremonies.

Ryan Cayabyab was outstanding as he played his original compositions. We watched in full force at the Luneta with about 150,000 others.