Batang Pinoy stars to experience Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - Some 1,500 selected youth athletes from all over the world are converging in a two-week summer program at St. Bede’s International School in the English countryside near the coast on July 28-Aug. 11 and 11 Batang Pinoy champions in the 14-15 age class will be in the elite group to experience the London Olympics.

The Batang Pinoy gold medalists flying to the UK are archer Bianca Gotuaco of Makati, shot put/discus/javelin/hammer thrower Garry Santiago of Guiguinto, sprinter Mary Diesto of Bacolod, badminton players Joella de Vera of Victoria (Laguna) and John Reyes of Malolos, boxer Miguel Jalnaiz of Cagayan de Oro, judoka Floyd Rillera of Baguio City, swimmer Ariana Herranz of San Pablo, taekwondo jin Irene Bermejo of Bacolod, triathlete Gabrielle Santiago of Manila and weightlifter John Macrohon of Zamboanga City.

UK Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie encouraged the young athletes to embrace the respect, excellence and friendship that the summer program offers during a press conference at the Manila Peninsula Hotel last Friday. Lillie welcomed the athletes with Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr., Philippine Sports Commission commissioner Jolly Gomez, British Council country director Amanda Burrell, St. Bede’s assistant principal Justine Gillie and MVP Sports Foundation director for basketball Butch Antonio.

The function room where the conference was held set the tone for the London experience awaiting the Batang Pinoy medalists as banners were unfurled using the word “great” to describe English heritage, innovation, knowledge, creativity, shopping and sport as in “Great” Britain.

In his remarks, Ambassador Lillie urged the Filipino sports heroes of the future to work hard, persevere and dedicate themselves to excellence. He said there are 250,000 Filipinos working and living in the UK, the largest Filipino presence in Europe. Cojuangco, for his part, said in a recent Association of National Olympic Committees meeting in Moscow, it was established that the coming Olympics will keep a sharp focus on the youth.

“Lord Sebastian Coe spoke about the preparations for the London Olympics and I was told that Olympism is actually taught in English schools,” said Cojuangco. “With the introduction of the Youth Olympics, it is clear where the focus of the Olympic movement is. Russian President (Alexander) Putin has declared that a goal is to involve 80 percent of the youth in his country in sports with the ultimate objective of elevating 40 percent to competitive sports. In a survey conducted in our country two years ago, it was found out that less than five percent of our youth is into sports or some form of physical exercise. With the PSC, we in the POC are committed to expand the Batang Pinoy program to involve more of our youth in sports. We want to provide the stage for our youth to be competitive in sports, to experience the excitement of sports, to fulfil their dreams and understand the true meaning of Olympism.”

Gomez said Batang Pinoy made its debut during President Estrada’s term, was mothballed and is now revived under President Aquino. The program covers five qualifying legs in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, National Capital Region, Visayas and Mindanao to culminate in the national finals, this year to be held Dec. 9-12 in Iloilo City. Gomez paid tribute to the athletes’ parents, some of whom accompanied their children at the press conference, for their guidance and sacrifice.

PSC marketing director Albert Almendralejo said the St. Bede’s program has the full support of the UK Embassy in Manila and the British Council with backing from the MVP Sports Foundation, Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad, Zamboanga Mayor Celso Lobregat, San Pablo Mayor Vicente Amante and Laguna Gov. E. R. Ejercito.

Fr. Tito Caluag, who visited the St. Bede’s campus in the course of attending a London seminar on the Department of Education’s K-12 program last March, said the traditional boarding school’s summer program has English classes in the morning and sports activities in the afternoon. The young athletes will be divided into classes according to English proficiency levels.

“No Filipino has ever enrolled at St. Bede’s but what struck me was the school’s commitment to our Batang Pinoy athletes,” said Fr. Caluag. “I think St. Bede’s put out a bid for 100 Olympic tickets and got only 20, half of which will go to our Filipino athletes which is a wonderful treat. This will enable our Batang Pinoy stars to experience the London Olympics. Who knows? Maybe, in the future, some of them will represent our country in the Olympics.”

Among the young Filipino athletes are Herranz, 15, and Gotuaco, 14, who captured five gold medals each at the last Batang Pinoy national finals. Santiago, 15, stood out as the bulkiest in the group. The UST thrower struck gold in the shot put and discus in the UAAP this season and also took the gold in shot put and javelin at Batang Pinoy last December. Jalnaiz, named Best Boxer of Batang Pinoy, is trained by his father Bobby, a former Asian Games gold medalist and two-time Olympian.