Olympics a stage for flag-waving

MANILA, Philippines - Thyroid cancer survivor Rodolfo Carlos sprinted for three minutes along the 350-meter course holding the Olympic torch on the Willenham Road of the Derby to Birmingham leg and made history as one of five Filipinos who participated among 8,000 flame-bearers in the historic 70-day, 8,000-mile journey through 1,019 cities, towns and villages all over the UK culminating in the opening ceremonies of the London Summer Games on July 27.

Carlos, 38, made his run last June 30. Two Filipinos, Marcy Reyes and Joven Mallo, took their turns a week before. Another Filipino Steven Cheung carried the Olympic torch in Waltham Forest last Saturday and Reymund Enterina did the honors in Dagenham yesterday.

The five Filipinos were chosen to join a cast of 8,000 from a list of 28,000 candidates for their courage in surmounting life-threatening obstacles and dedication to duty. Carlos, Reyes and Mallo were cited as exemplary employees of the InterContinental Hotels Group, an Olympic sponsor.  Participating in the relay as inspirational role models was their way of promoting the Philippines before a global audience.

Carlos was diagnosed with Stage 1 thyroid cancer in 2008 and underwent two surgeries to arrest the spread of the disease. “The surgeries were done within weeks and I took a radioactive pill to burn any thyroid tissue remnants and possible cancer cells that may have metastasized,” he said. “ I consistently passed follow-up tests and now, I’m cleared. Thyroid cancer can be very difficult to manage when found late. We should never fail to show up for annual physical exams and when you do, don’t be bashful in sharing information with your doctor. One small detail I almost hesitated to share during my annual check-up led to a series of examinations until we discovered cancer.”

Carlos ran the Willenham route on the 43rd day of the trek. His leg involved 15 runners. Later that night, pop singer Cliff Richard did his own torch run. Carlos took the flame from Jamie Green, a breast cancer survivor who endured six months of chemotherapy, and passed it on to Rebecca Jones, a volunteer worker with sexually abused and deprived children. Jones suffers from muscle disability.

“We were told in the briefing that it wasn’t necessary to run, that we could savor for longer our ‘once in a lifetime chance to shine,’” said Carlos. “But after a few walking paces, one of the female security personnel went by my ear and I heard something like ‘you call that a jog, young man?’ The effect on me was like a whip to a horse and I just started running and kept pace with the security guys. We went so fast that by just running over a minute, I already saw the other torchbearer in the horizon.”

Carlos described the lifetime experience as surreal. “I felt very proud,” he said. “I wasn’t able to walk and savor the moment for longer but on a positive note, I think I gave a better show by running with the torch. I am now one of the lucky and proud owners of an authentic Olympic torch. Ever after the torch relay, I felt duty-bound to spread the Olympic spirit. There were probably hundreds of people who had their photos taken with me holding the torch. Up to now, I’m getting friended and tagged by people who posed with me and the torch.”

From London, Carlos went to Edinburgh where he reconnected with Master Jun Pueblos, his mentor in Filipino martial arts. Pueblos was Carlos’ first martial arts instructor as a teenager and sparring partner of the late Edgar Sulite. “Master Jun has the skill of a warrior with the humility and patience of a spiritual person,” said Carlos, a licensed mixed martial arts judge by the Games and Amusements Board. “We had not seen each other in over a decade and he drove from Glasgow to make sure that we met. We even trained for about an hour and it almost brought tears to my eyes knowing it would take a while again before we see each other.” Visiting Scotland was a dream come true for Carlos who’s a big fan of the Highlander TV series, Braveheart and Rob Roy. The swashbuckling Scots inspired Carlos to take up Filipino sword-fighting or eskrima which is Pueblos’ expertise. Carlos was back at work in the IHG headquarters in Atlanta after a week in the UK.

As for the country’s 11 Olympians, Carlos shared this piece of advice: “Represent our country well. There are people from around the world who have not met people from our country so this is your chance to be good ambassadors and show your best performance and sportspersonlike demeanor to promote the beauty of our country. Savor every moment. Bring a good camera and take as many photos as you can of this rare experience. It will be done before you know it. Make friends and take their contact info and keep in touch. Just enjoy your time with your interaction with whom you meet and try to learn something different or new. The world is getting smaller every minute with globalization and it helps to have friends everywhere.”

Cheung, 22, is an Olympic Youth Ambassador while Enterina, 30, is a senior occupational therapist at the Raphael Medical Center in Kent specializing in neurological rehabilitation and the mental health of patients. Both Cheung and Enterina live in the UK.

“I would like to be an inspiration to all Filipino overseas workers because despite being away from home and family, I am proud to say that it’s worth the distance as we help our economy, our people, our family and ourselves to have a better life and brighter future,” said Enterina. “We, immigrant workers, are an integral part of the country in which we are working as we always dedicate ourselves and provide excellent service in a foreign land. We deserve to be recognized and honored for the hardship and sacrifices. As an Olympic torchbearer, my dream is to become an ambassador of goodwill helping mistreated immigrant workers and my goal is to give honor to my country, patients and family.”