Masagana ang Pasko ng mga Asian Games medalists

Isang masaganang Pasko ang mararanasan ng mahigit sa 60 atleta at coaches na nagpamalas ng kani-kanilang kahusayan sa nakaraang Asian Games na ginanap sa Busan, South Korea noong nakaraang Oktubre.

Ito’y makaraang ipagkaloob na kahapon ni Pangulong Gloria Maca-pagal-Arroyo ang kanilang insentibo bilang pamasko na nagkaka-halaga ng mahigit sa P11.5 milyon sa isang simpleng seremonya na ginanap kahapon sa Villamor Golf Club’s Social Hall.

Kasabay ng pamamahagi ng mga insetibo, tinagubilinan rin ng Pangulo ang mga sports officials, gayundin si Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Eric Buhain na magsagawa ng maagang preparasyon bilang paghahanda sa nalalapit na Southeast Asian Games sa susunod na taon sa Hanoi, Vietnam.

Matatandaan na nag-uwi ang bansa ng tatlong gintong medalya, pitong pilak at 16 tanso na nagkaloob sa Philippines ng magandang pagtatapos sa 16-taong edisyon ng Asiad.

"The President is really happy with our athletes’ performance in Busan that she made mention of preparing early for next year’s SEA Games in Vietnam for us to win more gold medals," wika ni Buhain.

Ang naturang insetibo ay nakapaloob sa Republic Act 9064 o kilala bilang Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act na pinondohan ng Malacañang sa tulong ng PAGCOR.

Ang mga atletang tumanggap ay pinangunahan nina Paeng Nepo-muceno at RJ Bautista ng bowling, tandem nina Antonio Lining at Django Bustamante sa billiards at Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski na kinatawan ng kanyang ama na si Peping Cojuangco na tumanggap ng tig-P1M.

Karagdagang P500,000 pa ang naibulsa ni Mikee matapos na makisosyo sa show-jumping team competition na binubuo nina Toni Leviste, Danielle Schulze Cojuangco at Michelle Barrera.

Ang iba pang nabiyayaan ay sina silver medalists CJ Suarez, Chester King at Botchok Rey (men’s trios, bowling), Liza Clutario, Jojo Canare, Cecille Yap, Irene Garcia-Benitez at Liza del Rosario (women’s five player team, bowling), Warren Kiamco (9-ball singles, billiards), Rexel Nganhayna (men’s 56-kg sanshou, wushu), Marvin Sicomen (men’s 52-kg sanshou, wushu) at Harry Tanamor (lightflyweight, boxing).

Ang bronze medalist ay pinangunahan naman ni Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes (8-ball singles, billiards), Jaime Recio, Jethro Dionisio at Eric Ang (men’s trap team, shooting), Carmelette Villaroman, Ria Quiazon at Heidi Chua (women’s team, golf), Bobby Co (men’s tajiquan, wushu), Daleen Cordero (women’s flyweight, taekwondo), Arvin Ting (men’s changcuan, wushu), Jethro Dionisio (men’s trap individual, shooting), Cherli Tugday (women’s individual kata, karatedo), Liza Clutario (women’s singles, bowling), Sally Solis (women’s middleweight, taekwondo), Veronica Domingo (women’s welterweight, taekwondo), Eduard Fola-yang (men’s 65-kg sanshou, wushu), Tshomlee Go (men’s flyweight, taekwondo), Alvin Ampos-ta at Nestor Cordova (men’s lightweight rowing), Gretchen Malalad (women’s kumite, karatedo) at Dindo Simpao (men’s middleweight, taekwondo).