Gison cited in Olympic list

Only one Filipino was mentioned in “The Book of Olympic Lists” by David Wallechhinsky and Jaime Loucky. There are over 150 lists in the 300-page book, each with an interesting angle like seven most creative excuses for failing a doping test, 10 outrageous boxing protests, nine women who won gold after delivering a baby, 20 Olympians who did time in prison, 11 Olympians who acted in movies, seven Olympians under five feet tall and more.

In the list of “3 Olympian survivors of Nazi concentration camps and one who survived Japanese internment” was Filipino shooter Martin Gison who holds the Philippine record of most Olympic appearances with five. If and when Hidilyn Diaz qualifies for the 2024 Paris Games and participates, she will tie Gison’s mark.

Gison was cited for surviving the Bataan Death March during World War II. Here’s what the book said: “Fourth place finisher Gison was captured by the Japanese during World War II and forced to take part in the infamous Bataan Death March. He survived and was able to compete in the 1948 Olympics in London.” Before the war broke out, Gison participated in his first Olympics in Berlin in 1936, entering three events – free pistol 50 meters, rapid fire pistol 25 meters and small bore rifle, prone 50 meters. Gison nearly landed a podium finish and placed fourth in the third event.

After the war, Gison competed in three events in the 1948 Games, three events in the 1952 Games, two events in the 1956 Games and one event in the 1964 Games. He skipped the 1960 Olympics. Gison was 22 in his first Olympics and 50 in his last. Excluding his fourth-place finish, Gison’s best ranking was 13th in small bore rifle, prone 50 meters in 1952 and a second 13th in free style three positions 300 meters in 1956. When Manila hosted the Asian Games in 1954, Gison bagged the gold in rapid fire pistol 25 meters, silvers in rifle three positions 50 meters and rifle three positions 300 meters and a bronze in rifle prone 50 meters. In 2016, Gison was inducted into the PSC Sports Hall of Fame.

A remarkable highlight in Gison’s history was his presence in the 1958 Asian Games and 1964 Olympics, both in Tokyo. He bore no grudge on Japan for what he endured as a prisoner of war in the Bataan Death March and was an ambassador of goodwill in showing no rancor in his two visits.