HAPPY BUT NOT IMPRESSED WITH HIDILYN DIAZ

courtesy of manila.coconuts.com

Hidilyn Diaz ended the 20-year medal drought of the Philippines in the Olympics with a silver medal in weightlifting in Rio. In winning silver, Diaz became the first female Filipino athlete to win an Olympic medal.

While I am happy for Diaz, I can't help but doubt her strength as a weightlifter and athlete. For one, Diaz decided to enter and compete in a lower weight category. In Beijing and London Olympics, she competed in the 58 kg. category where she failed to come close to a medal. In Rio, she competed in the 53 kg. category. In lowering her weight category, Diaz and her coaches appear to have chosen a weight category where her personal best can earn her a medal. Interestingly, the reigning Olympic champion for the 53 kg. category was nowhere near Rio as she failed her doping test. Zulfiya Chinsanlo tested positive for banned substances. It was one less strong opponent for Diaz in the 53 kg. category. The weight category too only had 7 competitors. And what is most telling is that Diaz would have placed merely 4th if she competed in the 58 kg. category in Rio with her silver medal lift in the 53 kg. category.

I am just a little disappointed that Diaz and her coaches appear to have chosen to outsmart the Olympic system than uphold the true essence of Olympism.

GREAT OLYMPIC ATHLETES AND THEIR SHINING MOMENTS

There are several athletes in Rio Olympics that truly make me happy, jubilant and a fan. They make me see the greatness of athletes who dedicate themselves to their sport and the triumph of the human spirit over great odds.

courtesy of todayonline.com

1. Joseph Schooling - Aside from giving Singapore its first ever Olympic gold, the 21-year old Schooling beat swim greats Michael Phelps and Chad le Clos by registering an Olympic record. Unfazed by his more illustrious opponents, Schooling topped the preliminaries and semifinals making him a serious contender before the finals of the 100m. butterfly. But Schooling remained just that, a contender, until the finals where he swam his way to victory in record-breaking fashion.

courtesy of fijione.tv

2. Fiji Rugby Sevens Team - The Fiji Rugby Sevens team burst into a song after winning Fiji's first-ever Olympic gold. Tipped as the favorite to win the gold before the Olympics, the Fiji Rugby team lived up to expectations by beating Great Britain, 43-7, to win gold.

courtesy of nbcolympics.com

3. Hoang Xuan Vinh - Vinh won Vietnam's first Olympic gold, through shooting, in a highly dramatic finish. Up against Brazilian shooter Felipe Almeda Wu, Vinh was running second after the penultimate round. But Vinh shot a final score of 10.7 against the 10.1 of Wu to wrest the lead and win the gold. Wu was heavily favored to win the gold and was heavily cheered by the Brazilians. But Vinh never gave up and evetually triumphed through sheer determination and great focus.

courtesy of indianexpress.com

4. Michael Phelps - Making his fifth Olympic appearance, Phelps, 31, still managed to win 5 golds and a silver in Rio. Truly, he is the greatest swimmer in Olympic history.

courtesy of news.com.au

5. Christoph Harting - Germany's Harting was in fourth place going to the final round of the discus throw. Poland's Piotr Malachowski was already celebrating as he led the finalists with a throw of 67.55 m. But Harting came up with a throw of 68. 37 in his final attempt to win the gold.

courtesy of abc.net.au

6. Monica Puig - Puerto Roco's Monica Puig set three different records as an athlete of Puerto Rico. She is the first female athlete from Puerto Rico to win the country's first Olympic gold. Her gold is the only medal that Puerto Rico has won. She won the Olympic gold in tennis.

FINDING A FORMIDABLE CHALLENGER TO POC PRESIDENT PEPING COJUANGCO

courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

With the resignation of Ricky Vargas as Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) president, the search for a formidable opponent to POC President Peping Cojuangco starts from scratch anew. Vargas, stands a fighting chance against Cojuangco should he challenge the 82-year old incumbent POC president. But the early losses of Filipino boxers in Rio probably disappointed and disheartened Vargas that he decided to resign from ABAP and allow new and young leadership to handle the boxing federation.

With his new development, Cojuangco seems sure to bag his fourth term as POC president.

But a sports expert believes that the next possible opponent of Cojuangco for the POC presidency might just come from the ranks of POC itself. PSC might support someone from POC just to unseat Cojuangco. It might well be a case of anyone but Cojuangco.

Whatever the scenario may be, PSC must take an active role in the coming POC election. PSC must take drastic measures to finally change the leadership in POC.

MAGHANDA NA NANG PANTAPAT KAY POC PRESIDENT PEPING COJUANGCO

courtesy of philstar.com

Tatlong atleta ng Pilipinas ang agad na nasibak sa unang araw pa lang ng kumpetisyon sa Rio Olympics. Hindi pinalad na makapasok sa 1st round of competition sina Charly Suarez ng boxing, Ian Lariba ng table tennis at Jessie Lacuna ng swimming matapos ang preliminaries. Sa malamang, wala na naman mapapanalunang medalya ang Pilipinas sa pinakamalaking torneo sa buong mundo.

Muli, isisisi ng mga opisyal ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) sa kakulangan ng pondo ang pagkatalo. Sisisihin nina Peping Cojuangco, Joey Romasanta at iba pa , ang lahat maliban sa kanilang sarili.

Kaya naman, ngayon pa lang ay maghanap na ang Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at ilang matitinong National Sports Associations (NSA's) ng pantapat kay Peping Cojuangco sa darating na POC election sa Nobyembre. Si Cojuangco at kanyang mga kaalyado ang patuloy na sumisira sa Philippine sports. Sa ilang taon nilang pagkakapwesto, patuloy na nangamote ang Pilipinas sa Olympics. Ang mga kinikilalang NSA's at sports officials ng POC ay pawang mga walang silbi at magaling lamang manghingi ng pera sa PSC.

Hanggang hindi napapalitan sina Cojuangco, Romasanta at iba pa, walang pag-asang naghihintay sa bansa sa larangan ng palakasan. Hindi makakatikim ng tagumpay ang Pilipinas hanggang ang mga tulad nila ang patuloy na naghahari-harian sa Philippine sports.

DUMATING NA ANG PAGBABAGO SA PHILIPPINE SPORTS

Seryoso ang bagong Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez na pagandahin ang Philippine sports.

Sa pulong na ginanap sa pagitan nina Chairman Ramirez, PDBF President Marcia Cristobal, BAP Region 4A-B Chairman Ding Andres, dragon boat breakway group spokesperson Noelle Wenceslao, Mindanao sports representative Dr. Arnel Hajan, kani-kanilang atleta at iba pang opisyal, tahasang sinabi ng bagong PSC chairman na magbibigay ng tulong ang PSC maging sa mga atleta at samahan na di kinikilala ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Kabilang sa ibibigay na tulong ay ang travel tax-exemption at di pagsingil ng terminal fee sa mga atletang lalahok sa mga torneo sa labas ng bansa. Bibigyan din ng kalayaan ang lahat ng mga atleta na magamit ang mga pasilidad ng PSC.

Bukos pa sa mga nabanggit na suporta, maaari ding magsumite ang mga naagrabyadong atleta at dating National Sports Associations (NSA's) ng kanilang mga reklamo at hinaing sa isang departamento sa PSC na hahawak sa lahat ng mga reklamo hinggil sa katiwalian at pang-aabuso sa palakasan, Hinikayat ni Chairman Ramirez na maghain ng formal complain ang mga naagrabyadong NSA's at atleta upang maaksyunan ang kanilang mga reklamo. Sa sandaling mapatunayang totoo ang mga reklamo laban sa mga kinikilala ng POC na mga NSA's at atleta, maaaring putulin ng PSC ang suporta sa mga tiwaling NSA's at atleta. Nangako si Chairman Ramirez na kikilos ang PSC laban sa katiwalian at pang-aabuso sa Philippine sports.