Postscript to Nanjing YOG: Long-lost pals meet in Nanjing

NANJING – Gymnast Ava Lorein Verdeflor of the Philippines came to the Youth Olympic Games here hoping to find her long-lost friend from Singapore.

That friend is Martina Lindsay Veloso, winner of the silver medal in the women’s 10-meter air rifle in this YOG.

Their parents are both from the Philippines – Arvin and Lea Verdeflor, and Melvin and Loresa Veloso. They were once neighbors in Singapore.

But the Verdeflors moved to the United States in 2002, just when Ava and Martina, both three years old then, were starting to develop a friendship.

Martina is a Singaporean national while Ava now holds Filipino-American citizenship, and is based in Plano, Texas with her parents and two siblings.

According to Martina’s mother, the two kids went on playdates then, and spent times together during poolside gatherings among their elders.

They never saw each other after the Verdeflors left Singapore.

The parents knew both kids would be here to compete, in different sports, but didn’t push for an early meeting because of their tight competition schedules.

Ava’s mother once tried her luck, knocking on the door of the Singaporean quarters at the Athletes Village.

Lindsay was out.

The Strait Times of Singapore reported that the two athletes, by coincidence, one day bumped into each other at the crowded dining hall of the Athletes Village.

Good thing Ava’s mother was around.

Ava and Lindsay were too young to recall their old friendship, to remember each other in fact. Then Lea pulled out an old picture of the two, taken like 12 years ago, embracing each other.

It was an awkward moment for the two old friends.

“It was so weird at first because we both didn’t remember anything as we were too young at that time,” Martina said in an article May Chen wrote for the Times.

“I was quite amused and excited that I might see her in Nanjing. Of all places and of all things we could both be doing, we meet here at the Youth Olympics,” she added.

As Martina shot her way to the podium, Ava danced her way into the finals of the all-around and uneven bars, but couldn’t win a medal.

Ava finished 11th of 18 finalists in the all-around, and sixth out of eight in the uneven bars. She gave her best, and left the floor satisfied and happy.

Finding her old friend must have felt like winning the gold.

“I was really excited to see her but obviously I didn’t know what to expect. I mean, we were three years old when I last saw her, so I don’t remember much,” she said.

“It was awesome,” added Ava, who congratulated Martina for winning the silver.

“We’ve been learning about friendship here at the YOG and it’s so cool that we actually met again here,” Martina added.

“It’s (YOG) not just about winning medals – it’s also about international friendship,” added Martina’s mother.

Both athletes hope to compete in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, and if they make it, they can find time to meet again.

And rekindle their golden friendship.