Newly minted hero ready to chase Olympic dream

GUANGZHOU – A day after winning the gold medal in the Asian Games, Rey Saludar has trained his sights on the London Games in 2012, hoping to deliver the country’s first-ever Olympic gold.

Saludar hopes to sustain his form that could lead to victory in the Olympics in two years from now with the same dedicaton and discipline he has shown in Guangzhou.

“I’ve seen the best in the world in my weight category. I think I can compete with them,” Saludar told The STAR.

He turned 23 last Nov. 12 and gave himself a belated present with his triumphant Asiad stint on the onset of winter in this Chinese trading hub Thursday. He made it doubly sweet by beating a Chinese rival in Chang Yong, 13-11, in the final of the under-53 kg division.

Saludar has indeed gone a long way since he was discovered by the national federation while fighting for the Polomolok team of international referee Ramon Vicente in the National Open.

He’s actually one of the five fighting Saludar brothers lured into the sport by their father Victorio Jr.

“My father just loves boxing,” said the young Saludar.

Victorio III, 20, had his own moment here, winning the bronze in his own weight division. Froilan, 21, is a pro pug while Rey’s twin Rex is into coaching.

“We’re a big family. We’ll make good use of the cash incentives me and my brother will get for our medal-winning efforts here,” said Rey, the seventh of 14 children by a farming couple from Polomolok, South Cotabato.

“I will not be satisfied with the Asian Games gold medal. I will continue to work hard and strive to make the Olympics,” added Saludar.

He vowed he would be in his best fighting shape in time for the Olympic qualifiers.

Asian boxers have two chances to make the London Games – the World Championships in Azerbaijan in the middle of 2011 and the Asian qualifying tourney in Kazakhstan either late 2011 or early 2012.

Saludar is on a hot streak, having made podium finishes in international tournaments in Azerbaijan in 2007, in Cuba and Nanjing, China in 2008, in the Laos SEA Games last year, capping his run with a gold medal finish here.

He missed the gold-medal bout in the Laos SEA Games, but he used that setback to fuel his dream for Guangzhou.

“I was leading a Laotian rival, then the judges suddenly stopped scoring my shots,” rued Saludar.

Saludar pummeled and pounded his Chinese rival no end, pulling off a victory that made him among the country’s biggest heroes in the Guangzhou Asiad.