EDITORIAL — Excelling in sports

The streets were quiet yesterday as Filipinos cheered Manny Pacquiao in his $1-million match with Mexican Oscar Larios. And for the second time this year, the boxer from General Santos City did not disappoint his compatriots. A nation bereft of good news erupted in cheers as Pacquiao’s victory was declared by unanimous decision. He will need to defeat Mexico’s Erik Morales in a deciding match later this year before he can challenge another Mexican, Marco Antonio Barrera, for the world super-featherweight crown. But Filipinos are already hoping for the best.

The victory of a Filipino boxer in the international arena is always a reminder that Filipinos can excel in sports, given proper training and support. Initially, the country must acknowledge the physical limitations of the typical Filipino athlete and focus on sports where matters such as height do not give competitors an edge. We cannot hope to produce a team of Shaquille O’Neals and Kobe Bryants. But Philippine victories in boxing show that where there is a level playing field when it comes to body build, the Filipino athlete has a good chance of winning.

We should start developing a soccer team that is good enough to compete in the World Cup. We should invest in the development of young gymnasts who might finally bag the gold medal that has eluded the country since the start of the Olympic Games. And we should continue encouraging disciplined training, hard work and determination among our boxers, who have come closest to bagging an Olympic gold for the Philippines. All those qualities Pacquiao has exhibited, and we have seen the results. His fame and increasing fortune are sure to encourage more budding boxers.

Apart from boxing, there are other sports where Filipinos can excel. Other developing countries have produced world-class athletes who have brought home Olympic golds. With proper training, resources and discipline, the Filipino athlete can count himself among the world’s best.