Extra motivation for filipino athletes Asiad gold worth P2 million

CEBU, Philippines - Filipino athletes who carted away gold medals during last month’s Southeast Asian SEA (SEA) Games in Laos have an added motivation to reach for higher goals and strive for greater glory this year as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will dangle a whopping P2 million bounty for every gold medal won by the Philippines in the XVI Asian Games this November 12-28 in Guangzhou, China.

Before leaving for the Vientiane SEAG, PSC chairman Harry Angping pumped up the morale of the RP bets when he announced that he will triple the cash incentive for all the gold medallists from the usual P100,000 paycheck to P300,000.

Such scheme somehow yielded positive result as the Philippines, although just finished fifth overall, hauled 38 medals.

“The motivation given by chairman Angping to the athletes [during the SEA Games] was very successful as percentage wise we really excelled,” said PSC commissioner and executive director Fr. Vicente “Vic” L. Uy, SVD.

Fr. Uy said during the 2007 SEAG in Thailand, they won 41 golds from the 600 athletes they sent. In Laos, they raked in 38 golds despite fielding in only 250 athletes.

Back in the Laos SEAG, three athletes pocketed a total of P600,000 for securing two golds each. They are Miguel Molina in swimming, Cecil Mamiit in Tennis, and Rubelyn Amit in billiards.

Five boxers received the same amount after Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippine (ABAP chairman and business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan gave them an additional P300,000 bonus.

Record-breakers also got a surprise gift of P200,000 each from Angping. They are Marestella Torres and Arniel Ferrera in athletics and Daniel Coakley and Ryan Arabejo in swimming.

With the staggering cash bonus in the forthcoming Asian Games, Angping said that those who were acounted for RP’s 38 golds cannot lower their guards as they have to double their efforts in the quadrennial meet.

“It means more hours in training venue for them and they have to double their effort in actual competition,” said Angping.

Meanwhile, Fr. Uy said a new pool of elite athletes is expected to be formed in the first quarter of the year.

From four golds that RP grabbed in the 2006 Asiad in Doha, Qatar, Fr. Uy said they are aiming for 10 golds in Guangzhou.   (FREEMAN NEWS)