Richard, the sportsman

MANILA, Philippines - Richard Gomez could have chosen to be a dandy and with his stunning looks could probably have gotten everything he wanted. Tall, dark and drop-dead handsome, he could make the most ice-frigid lady melt into a hot, sexy siren. This, my friends Cristina, Pearl and I, all saw for ourselves at an exclusive interview with the “Adonis of the Philippines” at the Hotel Rembrandt where we were interrupted at least half a dozen times by swooning, adoring women, and men (who must really be women and were pretending to be otherwise, hahaha!), who wanted to take snapshots with him.

But, no, Richard had always wanted more for himself. He needed challenges.  He wanted to compete and win. And this he found in sports.

Since his primary school years, Richard had always been lured by the magnet of physical activities. As a growing kid, he was very much into street games, joining other neighborhood kids in tumbang preso, siyato, agawan base, patintero and even sipa, almost everyday. Never excited about the idea of idle time, he poured himself into every sport that caught his fancy, his heart and soul burning to always strive for excellence. He’s done it all — volleyball, baseball, shotgun shooting, fencing, archery, rowing, golf, badminton, motocross and karting. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, he tells himself always.

Richard started playing to win as early as high school as a varsity player for volleyball, playing well enough to garner awards. This continued all the way to college.  

In 1989, he joined the national team for Dragonboat rowing — the very first ever, and that paved the way for the sport to become popular in the country. (Who could ever forget the understated Bench ad of the ’80s featuring Richard rowing, with Claude Debussy’s Claire De Lune playing in the background?) Two years thereafter, the new Philippine Dragonboat rowing team would win a bronze medal at the 1991 Manila SEA Games.

In 1993, while he was waiting eternally for his turn at the badminton court at an exclusive country club, he approached the fencing coach and asked to be introduced to the sport of aristocrats. The rest, as they say, is history. He went on to win bronze at the 1995 Chiangmai SEA Games in Thailand and at the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games in Indonesia, silver at the 1999 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in Malaysia, and gold at both the 2003 Hanoi SEA Games in Vietnam and 2005 Manila SEA Games. 2005 was also an auspicious year for the athlete turned actor as this was when he was one of only two Filipinos who participated in three events, a most difficult feat, indeed.

As a student in UP taking up Film, he led the masscom college in winning the intra-university Basketball Championships for two years while maintaining his high grades. (He was Most Outstanding Student Artists awardee in 1993). From 1989 to 1993, he joined karting competitions. He also engaged in Motocross in 1999. A five-time Fencing National Champion and a two-time Shotgun National Champion, he did all these and more without any injury to himself. The worst he ever suffered was a sprain, which he ironically got when he accidentally stepped on the foot of his fencing coach.

After retiring from fencing, Richard got seriously involved in baseball. He was then trying to get into the National Baseball Team when wife Lucy was elected congresswoman and he had to forego the rigid baseball practices to be his wife’s Chief of Staff (a hardworking and efficient one, as we, the other Congressional Chiefs of Staff, all know).

Richard’s success in probably all aspects of his life is the result of discipline and passion for excellence that he developed from joining and winning in various sports competitions. On this, Richard says, “I take very good care of myself. I do not smoke; I only drink one to two bottles of beer for nightouts. I avoid injuries. I practice diligently and play to win. I learned from a heart-breaking experience when I became overconfident and lost a gold medal match at the Malaysia SEA Games, everyone was sure I was going to win. Umiyak talaga ako kasi alam ko kasalanan ko, so from then on, when I compete, I fight from start to the very end.”

Now, he is back into competitive volleyball. He practices regularly with his group for about three hours on certain days and he says that just like his being back in the limelight with old flame Dawn Zulueta in a TV series, wife Lucy has given him all the understanding and support for his love for sports. “Maswerte talaga ako sa asawa ko,” Richard beams. And talking about family, even Julianna, their only daughter, is now into fencing, and like Daddy, is winning.

His advice to aspiring athletes: “Choose the sport that you really love and you can be good at and excel in it.” Richard says that with the passage of time, you should be in a sport that your body can take. “Be disciplined with yourself and your time for practices. Have focus and avoid distractions by all possible means. Take good care of yourself physically and avoid injuries. And most importantly, always nurture that killer instinct. Beat your opponent at the earliest opportunity, fight to the very end, and never ever get overconfident.”

Sports has, indeed, made Richard who he is now. The values of hard work and excellence have honed him into the fierce fighter and champion that he is. From sports and the discipline that he developed from it, he has received recognition with so many trophies not only from prestigious sports bodies but for his acting prowess as well, winning Best Actor awards. He has given this country honor in international competitions. He has inspired so many young athletes.  

But for Richard, one most important thing he will be thankful to sports for is that he was forced to live a clean life, making him a very healthy person. Richard says with conviction: “I am very sure that I will live long and strong up to a very old age with my beloved wife Lucy and daughter Julianna.”

Volleyball, anyone?

(E-mail me at [email protected] or text 0927-5000833.)