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LAGUNA — “Welcome to the Great Province of Laguna!” declared Gov. Jeorge “E.R.” Ejercito Estregan.

“Laguna, the ‘Resort Captial,’ ‘Detroit,’ and ‘Silicon Valley’ of the Phils., the Land of Enchanting Wonders and Refreshing Waters and your host province for the biggest, grandest and most extravagant Palarong Pambansa in history!” said the Laguna governor in the Games’ official brochure.

“The National Athletic Meet… serves as a fulfillment of our aspirations of becoming the Sports Development Capital of the Phils,” he added. “Sports is not just a game; sports is a way of life. For seven months, we have painstakingly worked round-the-clock to prepare for the country’s most important sporting event. We have exerted our fullest effort in rehabilitating our 19-hectare Laguna Sports Complex, redeveloped at a cost of almost P1 billion.. we have constructed our very own Athletes Village, the first of its kind in the country.. we have also constructed the tallest Jose Rizal bronze monument on earth, standing at 26 feet symbolizing our national hero’s expertise in fencing which we built to inspire our sportsmen. We have established the first Laguna Sports Development Academy..”

CENTRAL VISAYAS. Our delegation stayed at the Unson National High School in Pagsanjan — about seven kms. from the sports complex. Although we did not stay in the school, we visited plenty of times. The school provided ample of classrooms for our CVIRAA athletes. At the center sat a covered gym that served as both dining and meeting area. Last Thursday night was fun. It was the Pasalamat Night and all athletes were required to climb the stage and dance. The best performers? The swimmers. While others simply wore their blue-and-yellow CVIRAA jackets, the swimmers were led by an athlete wearing only trunks and a cap and goggles who, standing at the front, led his delegation to swimming dance moves… backstroke dance strokes, breast-dance moves. The event was a welcome laugh-filled few hours for the battle-weary players.

DEPED. You’ve got to give a big hand to the DepEd teachers. It’s a major feat organizing these Games. Imagine an event bringing together 12,000 athletes — plus thousands more of officials, coaches, parents and spectators. Special kudos to all the officials who take care of the athletes. Arranging for the boat transfers, Yokohama Bus transport, food, daily 5 a.m. mass schedules at Unson, uniforms, P1,000 allowances per athlete, the safety of every delegation member, the recording of the results — all these take sleepless nights and all-day-long hard-working days. Well done, teachers!

RESULT. Our CV delegation could not match the outstanding results of the other regions. I’m not sure with the previous Palaro Games  but this is what I heard: the host province decides on the points system. Here in Laguna, it’s the Olympic version. This means that one event equals one gold. A major sport like football receives only one Gold — just like the 10-second-quick 100-meter-dash. This is the Olympic scoring. Obviously, this favors regions that have powerhouse Athletics and Swimming competitors — not the strength of CV as we’re noted to be strong in ball games. (Other scoring formats, like the Milo National Little Olympics, allocate bigger points for sports like basketball, volleyball, etc.)

NIGHT. The 19-hectare Laguna Sports Complex — a site that would make Cebu envious — is not only well-designed because dozens of sporting events are housed under one venue, it’s also an entertainment and tourism showcase. Upon entering the venue lies a boulevard that’s lined, left and right, with all-things-Laguna. Every town and city is represented. Waterfalls are replicated. Giant shoes are displayed. Thousands of people are buying souvenirs, eating, taking photos, cheering. There’s a large stage with every-night concerts. Fireworks erupt almost nightly. It’s a festive sports arena.

FALLS. Our best non-sports trek? Yesterday, when we braved the rapids and swam underneath the Pagsanjan falls. This has to rank as one of the country’s best excursions.

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.” I love that quote. It’s by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German writer born in 1749.

I add another gift: Love for sports. This summer, when your children have endless hours and a myriad of activities to choose from, let him or her do sports.

It may be basketball. With the NBA Playoffs now on-going, this would be the best motivation to enroll in a Summer Basketball Clinic. There are dozens of choices.

Swimming is best. It’s hot. It’s refreshing. It’s a must to learn how to swim — in case of emergency. Like basketball, every blue-colored pool in Cebu offers some form of swimming classes. Boxing. Tennis. Dancesport. Let your child choose. What’s important is a sport that she’ll enjoy. Volleyball is “in” today. With Ateneo’s dramatic UAAP victory, volleyball has transformed into a hugely popular game. Karatedo, Taekwondo, Arnis or any type of martial arts are also highly recommended. These sports offer plenty of discipline. They also teach the essential art of self-defense — just in case the unexpected happens.

Whatever the sport, what’s imperative is that you keep your children active. This is the disease of today’s modern world. Mobile phones. Facebook. Computers. PS4. Chatting. Instagram. All of these gadgets and technological advancements help us a lot — but they also help our children to become lazy, anti-social and, sorry for the term, fat.

“Surfing” isn’t what it used to be — the act of stripping off your clothes to balance on a board and be bombarded by wind and waves. “Surfing” today keeps your buttocks planted on the chair, browsing websites while you eat Chippy and drink Coke.

This summer, get out. Do. Move. Jump. Run. Pedal. Swing. Dance. Kick. Jab.

But here’s a vital tip: Don’t just throw your child into a summer program for the sake of getting him out of your house. Our children need our Presence more than Presents. If possible, enroll in a program together. Play golf together. Swim together. Do. Play. Run 5Ks. Together. This doesn’t only teach your child the importance of fitness, but, more importantly, it reinforces your bond.

I remember my now-15-year-old daughter Jana. When she was younger, we engaged in all types of games. Playing baseball using plastic bats in the parking lot. Roller-skating in the garage. Ball-throwing in the bedroom. Football. Swimming at Casino Español. Biking at Family Park in Talamban. Ping-pong. Badminton. And, of course, the game of Li Na … tennis.

Again, I stress: Find an activity that your child likes. Oftentimes, we choose the ballgame that we like. Offer choices.

What happens if your child doesn’t manifest any interest in any form of physical activity? Don’t force it. Not every child is a Justin Chiongbian or an Enzo Ceniza or an Iggy Pantino or a Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano. Not every child is born athletic or sporty. Be patient. Maybe you, as the parent, should first enlist in a sport to be a model to your child! Aim for the camaraderie and fun that your child will get from joining the summer program. Don’t compare. Don’t say, “Look at so-and-so, he’s a champion! You should be like him!” Too much pressure early-on will discourage, not encourage.

Be encouraging. The goal is to motivate and inspire your children so that, as they grow older and without much forcing, they will value the idea that exercise is good.

Friends. Fun. Familiar faces. These are strong influences. Here’s a specific tip: Call the parents of your child’s best friends and make “sabot” so they can enroll together. This is a good idea. But it may also have a negative effect: Your child won’t learn to meet new friends. He’ll be content to mingle with the same circle or barkada.

The point is clear: Get the family moving. Just remember: texting (exercising one’s fingers) is not an exercise!

Let the Games begin! Past 12 midnight (Phil. time) yesterday, the Sochi Olympics started. I tried to stay awake late the other night but couldn’t find the TV5 coverage. CNN showed snippets leading to the Opening but no HD channel was made available by SkyCable.

Based on what I read, it was spectacular. Armed with over $50 billion worth of expenses, it better be a grand spectacle. Some notes that I picked up from the Opening…

Maria Sharapova, who grew up in Sochi, was one of the top athletes (she’s an Olympic silver medalist) who carried the torch before the cauldron was lighted.

Another top Russian athlete who also carried the torch in the final moments was Alina Kabayeva. She may not be that familiar but she’s a top gymnast – though that’s not the “tsismis” story. This one is: she’s the girlfriend of Vladimir Putin. Only 30, she’s pretty and bright and is a Russian politician. Although Kremlin denies it, almost everyone in Russia knows that the now-divorced Putin and her are a couple. Did she get the torch bearer part because of her “insider” relationship with the Russian president? Ha-ha. That’s the tabloid story. But she is, in fact, an Olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics.

Putin with Alina Kabaeva

What went wrong in the Opening? It appears that only one moment wasn’t right. It was the unveiling of the five Olympic rings; they started as snowflakes and emerged to become rings… the problem was: only four of the five rings opened! The nearly 40,000 in attendance inside Sochi stadium witnessed it.

But, not to worry, the Russians came prepared. For the TV viewers, they quickly deleted that malfunction portion, inserted the “correct” recording where all five Olympic rings were shown (taken from the rehearsal), so that TV viewers saw the “perfect” version. It’s somewhat similar to the Beijing Olympics when they included pre-recorded footages in the supposed “live” version. But the Russian manipulation is worse. Still, many call it a necessary act. They say: For the billion-people worldwide TV audience, you can’t show the Olympics with four rings.

Like the mall giant does every Valentine’s, it’s the much-awaited SM2SM Run on Feb. 16. Why SM to SM? Because runners start the race at the SM City Cebu then traverse the SRP road towards the latest Henry Sy-owned mall that will open end of next year: the SM Seaside City.

What makes this race unique – apart from the 3K, 6K, 12K and 21K distances and with over P250,000 in prizes – is the date: Valentine’s. The SM2SM Run, on its 4th staging this 2014, will be held two days after Feb. 14. And like they do each time, there’s the Couples Categories for the 12K and 21K. The husband-and-wife (or boyfriend/girlfriend?) tandem have to cross the finish line together. Holding hands and drained with sweat, what better way to cross that finish line next Sunday.

To all participants, the Race Kit distribution will start this Wednesday at The Event Centre of the SM City Cebu. See you next Sunday for the race.

Jonel (center) with Joseph Miller and Tenggoy Colmenares

At CIS in high school, we were the closest of buddies. Jonel dated Lovelin while her younger sister Cefelin was my girlfriend. (Had we married the Villegas sisters we’d be brothers-in-law.) We played varsity basketball with Serge Cuasito and Iker Aboitiz against the likes of Michael Aldeguer, Chad Cañares and Grant Go of Sacred Heart. This was in the late ‘80s when the top hits were Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” and Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun.”

Today, Jonel Borromeo is a corporate top gun. He is president of three companies: Honda Motorworld, Motorace (multi-brand bike dealer) and Sakura Auto World (Suzuki cars). He is happily married to Olive and they have three children, Dani, Renzo and Basti.

Last year, Jonel went on a physical transformation. Because while he dabbled into badminton before, he wasn’t super-fit. Unlike today.

“When I went to the US recently I was almost sent home because my passport photo and the real me didn’t match,” Jonel said. “After two hours of interrogation they were finally convinced it was me. When I go to a function or in the airport, I approach people I know who haven’t seen for, say, six months, and they stare at me. I tell them who I am and the reaction is… you sound like Jonel but you don’t look like him.”

That’s because Mr. Borromeo lost over 80 lbs. in two years after becoming a recent convert to this swim-bike-run sport. Today, he rises daily at 5 a.m. to run or bike for 90 minutes. Twice weekly, he adds the swim. “I make my workouts part of my daily schedule,” he said, “Just like a meeting.”

How did this all start? Jonel described being lured into triathlon in three stages. In his own words…

“Stage 1: It all started when Louie Moro asked me to join him biking. We would ride almost every Saturday. I had fun doing it. We would head up Guba and the poor guy would have to either wait for me or head back. I appreciated his patience. After a few rides he convinced me to get a new bike cause mine was one of those heavy metal types. So I did. Biking became more challenging. I would get up early on weekdays just to climb Budlaan and weekend rides with Louie. That sealed my love for Mountain Biking.

“Stage 2: Since I bought my bike from The Brick, shop owner Noy Jopson rang me up one day and invited me for a ride with his group (Tenggoy Colmenares, Joseph Miller, Jomer Lim). I must admit they, too, needed a lot of patience. The level of experience and endurance they were in was beyond compare. To my surprise they invited me again the following week. I told myself I wasn’t that bad after all. They made me feel part of the group. I appreciated their coaching and guidance without me asking. Then, they told me I was ready to race: DaanBantayan MB challenge here we go! I joined several after that. In the process of Stage 2, Jomer kept convincing me to start running. I did under the coaching of Phillip Duenas.

“Stage 3: After getting a hang on running, Tenggoy, Jomer, Joseph and Noy kept convincing me to take up swimming. They said it’s a good cross-training program. I did and that was it. James is my swimming coach and likes pushing me to the limit. If he does not see your nostrils swelling, he pushes you more. The other triathletes that I train with include Gianluca Guidicelli, Meyrick Jacalan, Dr. Solis and Jung Cases.”

I asked Jonel how his fitness level has affected his work and he replied, “I feel great in the office! My mind is sharp and no lag time. Before, I would have to take a coffee or two to get started. The only change I feel is that I need to eat more especially during meetings so instead of serving bread or siopao I have them serve fruits.”

Last Sunday in Davao City, Jonel joined his first race, the 1st Davao Xtrail Triathlon. “I crashed on the downhill but miraculously finished 5th place (out of 41) in my category and 29th place out of 117 participants.”

Final instructions from Tenggoy in Davao

This year, his goals include joining four events: Xterra, Safeguard 5150, Ironman 70.3 and Century Tuna 5150.

“The best part in a race,” he said, “is when I hear the gun start and when I see the finish line.”

JRB’s motto: “Say I can and I will.”

He was born in Cebu Country Club. His parents, Charlie and Lily, allowed him to call the 52-hectare, 1928-founded Banilad garden as his playground. He started swinging putts by the age of seven. When he was 13, he scored his first ace — a hole-in-one in CCC’s 15th hole. Putt after putt, divot after divot, he improved, leading his team to PAL Interclub trophies, winning junior championships, setting records and being called “the best junior talent CCC has produced.”

LJ Go turns 19 in February 2. He’s now in college, enjoying a golf scholarship at the prestigious 157-year-old institution called the Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

Two weeks ago, LJ accomplished a feat that every jungolfer dreams of accomplishing: He won the 2014 Philippine Amateur Open. Against a field of international stars, he scored rounds of 72, 72, 71 and 76 to win by a whopping 11-stroke margin, the largest in tournament history.

(Photo from Gilbert Mercado)

Now back in Seton Hall after his recent trip here, I interviewed LJ. Here’s our Philippine ace…

VICTORY. “Winning the Philippine Amateur felt great because it is the biggest amateur tournament in the Philippines and I got to win it with a great field. This is my biggest win. I didn’t know I won by a record margin until Jovi (Neri) said so. I didn’t expect the win. I came in with a different mindset. I said to myself, ‘No expectations.’ The only thing I placed in my mind was not to make a double the whole tournament. I only had one and that was good. I knew that if I played well on the 3rd day, winning the tournament would come true. I had a 7 stroke lead going to the last day and I wanted to start the day well and avoid trouble and I was able to do that.”

PREPARATION. “I wasn’t able to play a lot of golf here in New Jersey because the weather is cold. I was hitting balls into a net for awhile. When I got to Cebu I played everyday so I could prepare. I focused on my short game because Wack Wack was a difficult course and the short game would be the key. My practice paid off. My short game was unbelievable that week and I was able to hole out a lot of chip shots.”

COLLEGE. “Life in the States is harder than at home. You have to do everything on your own. But that helps you become independent. It prepares you for the future. During the week, I have class in the morning and we practice golf or workout in the afternoons. We also run before our class starts three times a week. The weekends, we are free. That’s the time I catch up on school work and rest a bit or go out and play a round of golf.

“Playing College golf helped me mature as a golfer. My course management improved significantly. I don’t force a lot of shots now. I calculate everything more. I take a bit more time. Caddying myself made me realize that I can’t play too fast or I will make stupid mistakes. I still play fast but those extra 10 seconds thinking before you hit helps.”

FELLOW PINOY. “The only Filipino I know in school is the President.” (The president of Seton Hall Univ., which has nearly 10,000 students, is Dr. A. Gabriel Esteban. Two years ago, he was installed as the first-ever Asian-American president of the Catholic university. He also became the first-ever Fil-Am to be president of a major U.S. university. For LJ Go to have the university president as his fellow Pinoy gives him good company.)

TIGER. “My favorite player is Tiger Woods. He makes the game very lively. I love watching highlights of him winning because the crowd gets energized.”

GOALS. “My goal this year is to be able to play in the US Amateur, Asian Amateur and hopefully my team could win the Big East Conference. I want to get stronger to be able to hit the ball farther. With my coach Andrew Ong, I want to perfect my golf swing so I could strike the ball consistently. My long term goal is to be a Professional golfer and hopefully be the first Filipino to play in the PGA Tour.”

Here’s a must-read from Lester Tabada…

 

On Jan. 12 — next Sunday — the streets of Cebu will be littered with runners. Hundreds from Manila, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Davao and other cities are landing in Mactan to run CCM. Even better news: more than 60 from Tacloban, Palo and other Yolanda-stricken places will be here to start the year running! We’re all looking forward to cheering and providing the loudest welcome to our neighbors from Samar and Leyte.

I’ve been in constant touch with Lester Tabada, whose articles and photos in his blog (lapiskamay.wordpress.com) have provided much inspiration to us. We were able to raise at least P70,000 to help the Leyte group with their various expenses. Thanks to The Brick (Noy/Amale Jopson), Chris/Nia Aldeguer, Jane-Jane Ong, Jacs/Perl Jacalan and Pork Shop (among others) for the cash donations.

Important reminders for all CCM participants? First, it’s time to taper down. For the 42K runners, no runs beyond 10K are advisable. Drink plenty. There’s a saying that holds true: it’s better to be undertrained than overtrained. Relax.

Visit the website. At www.cebumarathon.com, check your name among the list of runners.

The Race Expo will run from Wednesday to Friday at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu. A huge set-up has been built by Safeguard, the event’s title sponsor, and Ayala Center. (Out-of-town participants can claim their race packs on Saturday.)

On Friday night at The Terraces, it’s the Pasta Party. There will be music and entertainment. There will be last-minute briefings by Rio de la Cruz. It’s that one chance before the main event to mingle with the other long-distance runners.

On race-day Sunday, the 42K brave-hearts will start at the Cebu I.T. Park at 3 a.m. The 21K (half-marathoners), who’ll also receive medals and finisher’s shirts, will commence at 4 a.m. In all, the target of 3,000 participants was achieved — all vying to cross that finish, with the others, especially our Kenyan and Ethiopian friends, attempting to win that P100,000 first prize.

As to the Cebuano public: the race organizers would like to request for patience on the road. The inconvenience will not be as bad; the Cebu Marathon (traversing the cities of Cebu and Talisay) starts while you’re still asleep and will be finished around 11 a.m.

The SRP Tunnel will be fully-closed from 12 midnight until 9 a.m. Unlike the SRP area where half of the roads will be open to vehicular traffic, it’s not possible to have vehicles using the tunnel because the fumes will be intoxicating for the runners.

Advance thanks to Joel Juarez, whose CocoRunning outfit is leading the CCM operations, and to Dr. Peter Mancao, who is heading the Medical Team in coordination with ERUF, AMRO and many other groups.

Pele called him “one of the most influential people in my life. He was my hero, my friend.” Muhammad Ali adds: “His was a life filled with purpose and hope – hope for himself, his country and the world. He made us realise we are our brother’s keeper and that our brothers come in all colours.”

The world mourns the death of Nelson Mandela. Imprisoned for 27 years, he emerges from his 8 x 7-foot prison cell not loathing with hatred and revenge but overflowing with peace and forgiveness. Given the depth of his world impact, what many don’t know about Mandela is this: He’s a lover of sports.

BOXING. He was a six-foot-tall heavyweight boxer. “Although I had boxed a bit at Fort Hare, it was not until I had lived in Johannesburg that I took up the sport in earnest,” Mandela wrote in his book, Long Walk to Freedom. “I was never an outstanding boxer. I was in the heavyweight division, and I had neither enough power to compensate for my lack of speed nor enough speed to make up for my lack of power.”

Larry Merchant, TV’s top boxing commentator, recalled interviewing Mandela in 2001. He said that Mandela spoke a lot about Ali, even following closely the heavyweight champ’s career while in prison. “That showed how important Ali was as a political figure and not just as a world-wide celebrity and cultural star,” said Merchant. “He talked about how Ali was an inspiration both to him and to all African people.”

Merchant said that Mandela discussed with him boxing technique and showed him the proper way to unleash a left hook. After their interview, the two posed for a photo, side by side in a boxing stance. Mandela — whose name “Rolihalhala” means troublemaker — was then 82.

In his 1994 autobiography, Mandela talked more about the sport. “I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it. I was intrigued by how one moved one’s body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat, how one paced oneself over a match.
“Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, color, and wealth are irrelevant… I never did any real fighting after I entered politics. My main interest was in training; I found the rigorous exercise to be an excellent outlet for tension and stress. After a strenuous workout, I felt both mentally and physically lighter. It was a way of losing myself in something that was not the struggle. After an evening’s workout I would wake up the next morning feeling strong and refreshed, ready to take up the fight again.”

INVICTUS. Last Saturday night, Jasmin and I watched the most inspirational of films. The true story of Mandela and the healing power of sports, “Invictus” stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon (as the South African rubgy team captain Francois Pienaar). The two forge a bond that transcended sports. It was the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the movie showed how sports can unite and uplift a nation. Be prepared to shed a few tears. This movie is uplifting! Directed by Clint Eastwood, you have to watch it — especially at this time when the memory of Mr. Mandela shines brightest.

PRESIDENT. Although he was president of South Africa for only one term (1994 to 1999), Mandela’s legacy in sports has been embedded in their nation. Apart from the 1995 Rugby World Cup, they hosted (and won) soccer’s African Cup of Nations in 1996. Years later, he strode midfield, greeted by billions around the globe. It was the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

“Sport has the power to change the world,” Mandela once said. “It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”