MANILA, Philippines - A Pangasinense’s dream to be part of the most prestigious sports event in the world is about to be fulfilled after he was chosen as one of 35 referee-judges for the London 2012 Olympic Games from July 27 to Aug. 13.
Dante de Castro, a native of Anda, Pangasinan and a professor at the University of Luzon’s Criminology Department, is one of the two three-star referees in the country. He is the only Filipino to make it to the London Olympics, after a thorough evaluation and examination of his performances in boxing bouts he had officiated.
“I am a teacher by heart but a sportsman, too,” De Castro, 50, a two-term municipal councilor of Anda, told The STAR.
A letter from AIBA (International Boxing Association) president Ching-Kuo Wu stated: “As you are now officially an Olympic R&J (referee/judge), you will be one of the AIBA Ambassadors representing the image and reputation of our organization and sport to the world. Therefore, I do want to share that we should all be united to work together to make of the Olympic men and women boxing competitions the most successful competitions ever in the history of the Olympic Games.
“I sincerely appreciate your great efforts and patience to achieve your personal goal to be in the Olympic Games,” Wu added.
De Castro was a former karatedo national team member and his ambition was to join the Olympics. But since karatedo is not included among the Olympic events, he said being a referee/judge in the London Games fulfills his long-time dream.
De Castro was a bronze medalist in karatedo in the 15th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and was a silver medalist in the world championship in the Wado Ryu karatedo held in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
As his dream to reach the Olympics is now a reality, he said he would accompany Mark Barriga, the lone Filipino boxer who qualified for the London Olympic Games.
Aside from de Castro, the other three-star Filipino referee/judge is Rogelio Fortaleza, who had served in the Beijing Olympics.
De Castro’s love affair with boxing started in the early ’80s through the influence of the late Magno Ventura Cornel, a popular Pangasinan writer and sports aficionado, and lawyer Liberato Reyna who was then the Region 1 regional president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.