Barriga's parents to witness Olympic bid

MANILA, Philippines - Lightflyweight contender Mark Anthony Barriga’s parents Edgar and Melita will be at ringside when the country’s lone boxing bet makes his Olympic debut at the ExCeL (Exhibition Center London) on July 31. It’s their first trip abroad and they couldn’t be more thankful to sponsor Procter & Gamble (P&G) for the chance to cheer for their son and experience the Olympics.

“We’ll be there to provide moral support,” said Edgar, a 42-year-old printing machine operator for Sumipro, a Korean company making plastic bags to protect bananas while maturing in trees in Panabo, Davao del Norte. “This is Mark’s dream, to compete in the Olympics. I taught him how to box when he was four. Two years later, he went to Tagum for an invitational tournament and weighed a kilogram less than the minimum of 24 kilograms but was allowed to fight anyway. He knocked out his opponent. When he was eight, Mr. (Tony Boy) Floirendo took Mark into his stable, sent him to school and gave him proper training. We’re so proud of Mark. He’s a good, obedient and respectful boy. If he gets a medal in London, he promised to donate to our Catholic church, buy a wheelchair for his grandmother Teresita who is paralyzed from the waist down because of a stroke and make our home in Panabo a little bigger so we can take in his grandmother –my mother – to live with us.”

Barriga, 19, qualified for the Olympics through the backdoor, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual gold medalist Zou Shiming via a 12-5 decision at the World Championships in Azerbaijan last October. Quarterfinal losers to gold medalists gain an outright ticket to London. The three-time Palarong Pambansa champion later proved he deserved the slot by bagging the gold at the Sydney Jackson Memorial tournament in Uzbekistan.

As the only Filipino boxing hopeful, Barriga will carry a huge load on his back. But his parents advised him to stay focused. “I told Mark not to pressure himself,” said Edgar. “I remember in a fight in Palawan once, Mark wanted to score a convincing win so badly that he often threw himself off-balance after taking a wild swing. Luckily, he won by a stoppage in the third round. He learned his lesson from that fight. In London, I’ll remind him not to think of the pressure of winning, to just do his best and leave everything up to God. If the medal is for him, it will be his.”

Edgar and his wife are beneficiaries of P&G’s “Proud Sponsors of Mums” campaign where the company is bringing about 150 mothers of Olympic athletes to London. The guests will stay at the P&G Global Family Home in Vinopolis near the London Bridge. Melita, 43, was supposed to fly alone but P&G made Edgar an exception and sponsored his trip, too. Campaigns PR Inc. managing director Luigi Avancena said P&G has arranged an itinerary for the visiting mothers to include sightseeing, makeovers at the Wella Salon and watching their children compete.

The Barrigas fly to London on July 29 and return home Aug. 4. If Barriga hurdles his first assignment on July 31, he will advance to the round-of-16 on Aug. 4. A second win will take Barriga to the quarterfinals on Aug. 8. A third win will send him to the semifinals on Aug. 10 with a sure bronze medal. A fourth win will qualify him for the finals and a sure silver on Aug. 11. Five wins will make Barriga the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist.

“My advice to Mark is to work hard in training camp,” said Edgar. “A lot will depend on the draw. We’re hoping he doesn’t meet Zou too early but if they face off again, Mark knows what to do. Zou is tall and likes to fight from a distance. Mark has to get inside his defense, push him to the corners. He’s been studying Zou’s moves, working on his technique with coaches Roel (Velasco) and Elmer (Pamisa). But Mark’s not just thinking of Zou. There are others to take care of. It’s a long road to the gold.”

At the moment, Barriga is in Cagayan de Oro training with Ian Clark Bautista, Rogen Ladon, Charly Suarez and Eumir Marcial. He will leave to attend the Pre-Games Training Camp in Cardiff, Wales, on July 4. ABAP head coach Pat Gaspi said before Cagayan de Oro, the five simonpures did sparring with several fighters, including pros, in Cebu to familiarize themselves with different styles.

“I’m happy for Mark to get this chance but I’m also very afraid and nervous,” said Melita. “Mark wants to turn pro eventually but I want him to finish his education first. He stopped schooling after his first year of commerce at the University of Mindanao to concentrate on boxing in 2010. I’m excited for him. I’ll go to the ExCeL Arena but I won’t watch him fight. Win or lose, we love our son. We always pray for his good health. It’s an honor for Mark to represent the country in the Olympics.”