By Nick Giongco
Former Asia’s sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado reminded the current crop of national athletes to believe in themselves in the final run-up to the country’s staging of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
PH sports leaders seated in front, led by Phisgoc chairman and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, POC president Bambol Tolentino and PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, join legendary athletes, standing from left, Mansueto Velasco (boxing), Bong Coo (bowling), Paeng Nepomuceno (bowling), Lydia de Vega Mercado (track and field) and Eugene Torre (chess) in flashing the No. 1 sign during Wednesday’s SEAG pep rally at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Others in front are PSC commissioners Celia Kiram, Mon Fernandez and Charles Maxey. (MB Photo / Alvin Kasiban)
Speaking on Wednesday night at the refurbished Ninoy Aquino Stadium, De Vega-Mercado, the continent’s fastest in the 1980s, was among six other sporting heroes of yesterday years who showed up during a pep rally organized by the Phisgoc, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Legends of the Philippine sports scene are present at the send-off of athletes for the 30th SEA Games at the Rizal Stadium last November 13. (MB Photo / Alvin Kasiban)
Now 54 and based in Singapore where she teaches athletics to kids, De Vega-Mercado shared the spotlight with fellow track star Elma Muros-Posadas, Olympic boxing silver medalist Onyok Velasco and contemporaries Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo and chess legend Eugene Torre.
“Magtiwala at maniwala sa inyong sarili (Trust and believe in yourself),” said the 54-year-old two-time Asian Games gold medalist and nine-time winner in the SEAG.
While admitting that she feels a bit envious that today’s athletes receive more perks, the opportunity to represent the country feels like no other.
“I think we were born earlier because we (with Muros) weren’t able to experience something like this…Hope that in my next life, I’d still be an athlete,” said the Bulacan native.
“Last time I wore a national team uniform was in 1994 and it feels different,” she said.
The Philippines is fielding 1,115 athletes to the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 SEAG that will have 56 sports and 520 gold medals up for grabs.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Butch Ramirez (MB Photo / Alvin Kasiban)
PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, also the chief of mission, maintained that the event “is a great opportunity for us (in government) to be of service to the people (and the athletes).”
POC president Bambol Tolentino, meanwhile, called on the Filipino bets to stamp their class.
“Let’s show everyone that we can win the overall title. Let’s show them the true worth of the Filipino athlete,” said the Tagaytay congressman.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who heads Phisgoc, tipped his hat off to the athletes.
“My heart is fiiled with gratitude to the athletes,” said Cayetano, whose office drew a budget of P6-billion to run the biennial sportsfest.
Phisgoc chairman and House Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano (MB Photo / Alvin Kasiban)
“We are spending billions and billions for them and this is the reason why we are spending that hefty amount,” he said.
The Philippines is targeting no less than the first place in its bid to duplicate its first-place finish when it last hosted the SEAG in 2005.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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