Worst finish

When CVIRAA officials hinted that Region 7 is out to improve its fourth place finish in the last Palarong Pambansa, I was a  bit amused.  It’s not that I am from Western Visayas (Region 6), that I predicted a top three finish for the host province but it’s been always the trend, Region 6 finishing second.  In fact, if I remember right, it’s only Western Visayas that toppled perennial champion NCR on two staging of the Games.  So when the smoke cleared, CVIRAA plummeted to its worst finish in the Palaro, ninth place. This is a serious problem echoed Atty. Ramil Abing executive director of Cebu Provincial  Sports Commission and Edward Hayco chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission.  Region 6 wound up third this time after losing critical ballgames in the last day of competition.  Maybe it would have been another story if Bacolod City didn’t separate from Region 6 and joined forces with Dumaguete City to form Negros Island that came in fourth place.  If Negros  Occidental and Panay competed as one (just like in previous Palaro),  they would have accounted for over 60 gold medals.  Of course, CVIRAA lost Dumaguete City to Negros Region.  So it’s back to the drawing board and local officials always come up with reasons or call it alibis.  The question remains the same “What went wrong”?

Dorando Pietri

One of the most unforgettable images from the Olympic Games is the sight of Italian marathon runner Dorando Pietri being helped by race  officials to cross the finish line in the 1908 London Games.  When he entered the stadium, he went to the wrong direction then collapsed on the track, got up then collapsed again.  If you look at the photos, one of the officials who  assisted Pietri was sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. Pietri was declared winner but the Americans protested, thus second finisher John Hayes was declared champion.  The funny thing was, as Pietri lay on a stretcher the Italian flag was  being raised.  Despite being stripped of the win, Queen Alexandra awarded Pietri a special gold cup for his heroic efforts.  To really determine who was  the best runner, Hayes ran against Pietri in two special marathons held in New York.  Pietri won both races.  Hayes went on to become a wealthy man while Pietri and his money stolen by his brother had to work as a taxi driver for the rest of his life.

Elvis of Asia

Bobby Torres, Elvis Presley International Club special projects coordinator, gave me a ring to invite me to the First Annual Elvis of Asia Contest set on August 19 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.  I’ll be representing the Philippines and we will be competing with Elvises of Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.  When Bobby called me “abi nako marathon ang duwa”.  anyway, I’m  sure the Pinoys will give the other Elvises a run for their money. ”It’s one for the money, two for the shoe”.