10 lungsod sa Metro Manila nagliwanag sa Asiad Torch

Nagliwanag ang Asian Games torch casts sa 10 lungsod ng Metro Manila kahapon bilang simbolo ng partisipasyon ng Team RP sa 15th edition ng biennial meet sa Doha, Qatar.

Nagpasalin-salin ang torch sa mga Government at sports officials, athletes, movie at television personalities, at iba pang kilalang personalidad para sa ikalawang pinakamahabang relay ng Games na nagtapos sa Luneta kagabi.

Si Sheikh Joann Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa AlThani, anak ng Emir ng Qatar, ang nagsindi ng Asiad torch kahapon ng umaga sa harap ng monumento ni Rizal bago ito ipinasa kay Manila Mayor Lito Atienza kasunod si Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez at Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Isias Begonia, Rear Admiral Amable Tolentino, assistant secretary Cynthia Carrion, bowler CJ Suarez, diver Sheila Mae Perez, archer Jasmin Figueroa, swimmers Akiko Thomson at Kendrick Uy, at World Cup legend Paeng Nepomuceno.

Sa Quezon City, si Mayor Sonny Belmonte ang tumanggap ng torch na sinundan nina Bong Coo, Hero Bautista na kumatawan kay Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, mountaineer Romeo Garduce, athletics’ Jobert Delicano, at race car driver Tyson Sy.

Sa Marikina City, si Vice Mayor Marion Andres at middle distance runner Isidro del Prado ang nagdala ng torch hanggang sa Pasig na tinanggap nina Vice Mayor Yoyong Martirez, boardsailer Richard Paz , fencer Joanna Franquelli, actorfencer Richard Gomez, Councilor Fortunato Co, at Olympic boxer Mansueto Velasco.

Sa San Juan, pinangunahan ni Vice Mayor Leonardo Celles ang libu-libong estudyante na sumalubong sa torch na binitbit nina fencers Walbert Mendoza at Veena Tessa Nuestro.

Sa Mandaluyong ang mga nagdala ng torch ay sina rowerAlvin Amposta, German Paz ng sailing, muay thai athlete Victoria Agbayani, at Mayor Neptali Gonzales III sa harap ng City Hall.

Sa Makati, si Busan Asian Games gold medalist Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski ay nakasakay ng kabayo sa kahabaan ng Ayala Avenue hanggang McKinley Road na kanyang ipinasa kay Mary Antoinette Rivero ng taekwondo, rower Benjamin Tolentino, at Petrona Bantay, at sa Taguig tinanggap ito ni Mayor Sigfrido Tinga, Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, taekwondo jins Dax Alberto Morfe at Tshomlee Go, at Vice Mayor George Elias. Si Triathlete Ian Joash Serrano ang tumanggap ng torch sa Pasay City, na ipinasa kina judoka Franco Teves, rower Alvin Amposta, billiards player Rubilyn Amit, canoe-kayak athlete Norwell Cajes at Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo patungong Parañaque na itinakbo nina Mayor Jun Bernabe, cyclists Eusebio Quinones, Nilo Estayo, Renato Sembrano, Vice Mayor Jose Mari Yllana at Games and Amusement’s Board chairman at multititled SEA Games swimmer Eric Buhain.

Pabalik sa Rizal Monument via Pasay City ang torch ay pinagpasa-pasahan sa Roxas Boulevard nina wushu artists Francesca Ysabel Bernasconi at Arvin Ting, Rep. Connie Dy, Acting Pasay Mayor Allan Panaligan, MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando, wrestler Jethro Lozada, karatedo Gretchen Malalad, isang Qatari official, PSC commissioner Ambrosio de Luna, triathlete Ryan Mendoza, PSC commissioner Joey Mundo, PSC commissioner Ritchie Garcia, long jump champion Elma Muros-Posadas, champion bowler Biboy Rivera, isa pang Qatari official, at ang pinakahuli ay si PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez.

"It was perfect. No hitches. Everything was executed to perfection," wika ni event organizer Mario Tanchanco. "Even the weather cooperated."