Cebu wins!

The Ramon Durano Sr. Memorial Track and Field Sports Complex reminded me of my elementary days when the EVAA, PRISAA and later the CVRAA came to our town.

Classes would be cancelled, as the classrooms were to be used by the visiting athletes. In our neighborhood, only two kids, me and Sat Hamoay, would have the one week season ticket for the games, courtesy of our teacher-mothers, who involuntarily had their salary deducted from the Department of Education and Sports.

Those without tickets would go to the complex early and climb over the fence illegally. Otherwise, there was always this "secret" passageway that the "older kid's" kuno would know.

The smells and the sounds were the same except that instead of the shouts of, "popsicle", "buko bar" or "mani, mani", what I could hear were sound, "mineral water" or "ice water", things that were unheard of in those days. Well, I always made sure that I carry drinking water with me. The SEAG MTB events

In spite of everything (4M Php better spent to feed the poor, the overspending, issue, the cheating allegations), the MTB events in the 23rd SEAG in Danao was a blast! Congratulations should be in order to the one who made it possible: Danao Councilor and Danao Sports Commission Chairman Oscar "Boying" Rodriguez.

Congratulations should also be handed out to Mayor Ramonito Durano III, DOT Secretary Ace Durano and Congressman Red Durano for making the MTB event one of the best in the SEAG.

Because of overconfidence (that the V-Hire would leave before 8am), I arrived just as the men's XC after the first lap. But it was worth it.

I had skipped work to witness the next best thing to an Olympic event (at least for me). I endured the heat and every lap, I died a little as I saw Niño Surban having a "un jour sans" (a bad day).

Every lap, the gap between him and the Indonesian increased. In spite of the sizzling heat, it felt like a rainy afternoon, so very depressing.

But Niño is still 18, that's equivalent to a second year college student being thrust into the international spotlight by a success starved nation. I know he'll bounce back. (Did you know that Niño beat the Indonesian SEAG MTB XC champion twice before?) Baby Maritess Bitbit

How does a gold medal winner sound like? To tell you honestly, I wasn't expecting Maritess to win. But that's the way the fortunes turn. One day you're flat on your face and the next day you're the toast of the country. After so many disappointing SEAGs, Maritess has finally have the medal that eluded her.

And what a way to get it, in front of family, friends and country!

Congratulations also to the silent worker of the team, RP MTB Coach Rene Mier. I had always thought aloud what Coach Mier was doing, coaching the MTB team when his forte was track and road cycling. Well, he finally answered it last week and he left me eating humble pie aloud. Congratulations also to Jonathan Guardo, the overall chairman of the SOC for a splendid job.

Finally, I'd save my best congratulations to the volunteers- those faceless, nameless, people who braved the elements to make the 23rd SEAG a success. You guys not only made the event a success, you help made Cebu a winner!!!