Tribute to an Athlete

So much has been said about “running boom” that the Philippines have been experiencing since last year. This scenario is all REAL and hopefully continues its resurgence and sustains the interest of the community for a long time. To most of us (90% of the running community) we have embraced the sport for varied reasons either health, leisure, fun, personal satisfaction and/or other probable reasons that is too numerous to detail here. However, the remaining 10% have embraced the sport as an avenue to uplift their life, a financial source, to attain educational degree, a chosen profession.

Yes my friends RUNNING to some who are not so financially blessed in life had been, can be, and is being used as an avenue for a better life, educational scholarship, additional income opportunity which to most of us is an alien reason due to our blessed condition.

There is a select group of people who are blessed with the physical talent and dedication that is pursuing this road of opportunity. However, in sport, whatever discipline it may be, talent and dedication is NOT ENOUGH to assure you of a success. A major component of a sport success is SUPPORT. For these athletes that are blessed with talent and dedication will not only need to concentrate on the sport of their choice but need to live a life and livelihood to support their daily life. Needless to say in this country another complexity is POLITICS in sport a reality in this part of the world.

Today June 5, 2009 I have hosted a lunch at Shangri-la Hotel HEAT Restaurant (for their success in the recent Philippine National Invitational Open last May 11-12, 2009 at Lingayen Pangasinan) to four (4) athletes who have in their own way run in this road of life and have in their own modest way attained success in their field and/or still hoping to achieve their dreams in this life through sport. Allow me to introduce them to you;


SATURNINO SALAZAR

Bdate/Place – 15June61 / Batan Aklan
Educational Attainment – EARIST with degree BSME sports scholar 1991
Present Employment – Philippine Army / Master SGT
Sport Qualification – IAAF level 4 Coach
Major Sport achievement – 1977 SEA Games Bronze Medalist 50km Race Walk
My wish/prayers – That you land a coaching job in one of the UAAP universities. You have so much talent, knowledge and necessary credentials to share with the running public.


MICHAEL EMBUEDO

Bdate/Place – 21Sep77 / Bagac Bataan
Educational Attainment – Certificated on Agriculture and undergraduate Education
Present Employment – Philippine Air Force Airman 1st Class
Major Sport achievement – Holder Philippine Record 20km (01h33m50.9sec) 2009 National Invitational Open Lingayen 11May09
My wish/prayers – Inclusion National Team and podium finish at SEA Games on Dec.


CHRISTIAN DALIDA

Bdate/Place – 12May91 / Batan Aklan
Educational Attainment – UE sports scholarship 2nd semester school year 2009.
Present Employment - student
Major Sport achievement – 3rd Place Jr. Mens 10000meter Race Walk 2009 National Invitational Open Lingayen 11May09
My wish/prayer – You are only 18 years old and have so much promise make good in the sport so that your education is assured.


MILBERT NABUAB

Bdate/Place – 9Jan89 / Batan Aklan
Educational Attainment – UST sport scholar 3rd year BSPE
Present Employment - Student
Major Sport achievement – 6th place Men’s 20Km Race Walk 2009 National Invitational Open Lingayen 11May09
My wish/prayers – you shown great strength in running dedicate more into this training.

To these gentlemen, I wish to congratulate you all in your success in the recent 2009 Philippine National Invitational Open. I wish to single out MICHAEL EMBUEDO who has broken the Philippine Record. My prayers that the sports authorities will now have no reason not to include you in the NATIONAL TEAM and to your participation in the forthcoming SEA Games at Laos Cambodia in December 2009.