BEIJING --Nasorpresa si Fil-Am Daniel Coakley nang may magsabi sa kanya na pupunta ito sa Beijing.
“When I was told I was going to Beijing, I asked, “Is that the Olympics?’ I really didn’t expect to qualify,” anang 19 anyos na si Coakley.
Nakuha ni Coakley ang balita nitong taon nang maorasan siya ng 22.80 seconds at makapasok sa 50M freestyle event sa Beijing Olympics.
At ngayon, magdedebut si Coakley sa second heat ng event kung saan bumagsak siya sa huling lane--No. 8 sa ganap na alas-6:30 ng gabi.
Hindi sumagi sa isip ni Coakley na ang kanyang oras ay sapat na para maging kuwalipikado sa Beijing lalo na’t ang pinakamabilis na oras bago ang heat ngayon ay 21.18 seconds ni Australian Eamon Sullivan. At ngayong taon kailangang maorasan ng 21.90 second o mas maganda pa ang pinakamablis na manlalangoy.
At bagamat hindi naman niya inaasahan na makakapasok sa finals, umaasa itong ang Olympics ang magiging daan niya patungo sa darating pang Olympics.
“My goal is to win a gold medal and hopefully I’ll get one before I retire,” aniya. “I have been training in Bolles School (in Jacksonville, Florida) for quite some time but before that I was a one-man team. My training in Bolles improved my technique and strokes and surfing also helped a lot,” dagdag pa ni Coakley.
Sina Coakley at Ryan Arabejo, na kapwa lalahok sa 1,500m freestyle sa ngayon, ay sinanay ni Bolles School head Sergei Lopez at assistant coach Jason Calanog, na nagsasabing may malaking potensiyal ang dalawang proteges.
“My role as his coach is to help him understand that he can be in the big league. He’s going to be a fast swimmer, and my job is help him swim at the next level,” ani Calanog. “At 21 or 22, they (Coakley and Arabejo), will get their best shots.”
Umaasa si Lopez na makakapasok sina Coakley at Ryan sa susunod na apat na taon. (Gerry Carpio)