When it rains, it pours

It’s difficult not to gloat when there is so much to crow about. Recent news of Filipinos scaling the heights and winning top honors in international competitions can’t be ignored. Not surprisingly, the entire nation is basking in their glory.

If the success stories are a portent of better things to come, we can’t wait for more good fortune to bless our country.

What’s particularly exciting about the good news is the wins are coming from both the young and the not-so-young, meaning there’s a lot to look forward to in the future from the new generation. Of course, it also means our grizzled veterans are still on top of their game.

The first blessing came at the World Cup of Pool in Wales late last month. Efren (Bata) Reyes and Francisco (Django) Bustamante towed the Philippines to victory, crushing the US pair of Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris, 13-5, in the race-to-13 finals for the $60,000 top prize.

With the Philippine flag stitched on their shirts, Reyes and Bustamante left no doubt as to which country is No. 1 when it comes to billiards.

Then came the news that Franco Reyes, a 10-year-old Ateneo fourth grader, bagged top honors in the Cadet 60 class in the Indonesia leg of the Asian Karting Open Championships.

"It always feels good to win for your country," said Reyes whose father Mandy is a multi-awarded commercial video producer and a racing enthusiast. "It was a very rewarding victory considering the Indonesians were the favorites since this is their home track and it was very tricky to drive. We didn’t have much time to practice since I can’t afford to be absent from class for a long time."

For a boy his age, Reyes’ remarks were like a whiff of fresh air. He spoke of the pride that comes from winning for his country and also reminded himself of his priorities — his education will always be a primary concern.

Next, 12-year-old Dottie Ardina ruled the 54-hole Indonesia Ladies Amateur Open Championships at the Padang Golf Pondok Indah Club in Jakarta. She fired four birdies enroute to posting a one-under-par 71 and went on to win the crown by two strokes in a final round shootout over another Filipina wunderkind Cyna Rodriguez.

Ardina has so far pocketed five international titles, including the US Kids World Golf and the Asia-Pacific Junior Golf, this year.

The win earned for Ardina a slot on the national team competing in the coming World Amateurs with reigning Philippine Ladies Open champion Debbie de Villa and Anya Tanpinco.

Bowling also hit the sports headlines when Biboy Rivera rolled a perfect 300 in the decisive fifth game of the final best-of-5 series to beat Germany’s Achim Grabowski for the World Masters Championship in Busan last week.

The ninth-seeded Rivera, 32, advanced to the finals by ousting Korea’s Choi Jong In, Finland’s Petri Mannonen and Australia’s Jason Belmonte. He took the first two games in the finals but Grabowski stormed back to level the count. In the fifth game, Rivera was unstoppable as he scored 12 straight strikes, leaving the German biting the dust with only 216.

Capping the streak of good luck was Reyes’ triumph at the World 8-Ball Open in Reno last Sunday.

The toothless tiger took the $500,000 first prize after trouncing Rodney Morris, 8-6, in the finals on the seventh day of the grueling competition that drew 200 of the world’s best pool sharks.

Reyes, 52, confessed he had to calm his nerves in fashioning the scary win, punctuated by a typical magical shot in the clinching frame. He survived referee Ken Schuman’s foul call in the 12th frame, allowing Morris to equalize at 6-all. Morris, however, failed to take another frame as Reyes raced to an 8-6 win.

In all, Reyes won 21 of 29 matches from Round 1 up to the finals. Although he lost eight along the way, "Bata" won the matches that made a difference. One of his losses was to Morris in Round 6. Among his victims were Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen, Corey Deuel and Filipinos Alex Pagulayan and Dennis Orcollo.

No one has ever questioned the abundance of sports talent in the country. The problem is our sports leaders often make it difficult for our athletes to perform to the best of their ability.

Many of our sports officials bicker over turf, quibble over budgets and quarrel over recognition — leaving our athletes without inspiration, support and care.

With the Asian Games coming up, the challenge is for our sports leaders to show our athletes that there is unity, harmony, direction and a sense of purpose in the effort to bring honor to our country.