MANILA, Philippines - Mga beterano at mga bagito.
Ito ang klase ng mga boksingerong ipapadala ng Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) para sa darating na 25th Southeast Asian Games sa Laos sa Disyembre.
“I believe in the principle that not all that is old is bad and not all that is new is good,” wika kahapon ni ABAP president Ricky Vargas sa lingguhang SCOOP sa Kamayan sa Padre Faura, Ermita. “We have to get the best of the old and mix them with the best in the new. That will be our representation in the coming SEA Games.”
Matatandaang isang gold medal lamang ang naiuwi ng national boxing team noong 2007 SEA Games sa Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand kung saan inilagay sa protesta ni dating ABAP chief Manny T. Lopez ang lahat ng finals matchup ng mga Pinoy sa men’s at women’s division dahilan sa inaasahang muling pamumunuan ni three-time SEA Games gold medalist Harry Tañamor ang mga beteranong boksingero, habang si Orlando Tacuyan, Jr. naman ang mangunguna sa mga bagito.
“Sports is not an event. Sports is a program. Meaning we will be embarking on a program that will produce the best to represent the country in international competitions,” wika ni Vargas, kinatawan ng Talk ‘N Text sa PBA Board.
Hiniling rin ni Vargas sa Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) na huwag nang makialam sa pagpili ng mga National Sports Associations (NSA)s ng mga atletang isasabak sa 2009 Laos SEA Games.
“Boxing is not a measurable sport where clocking, for example could be used as basis to gauge whether an athlete is in the vicinity of a gold and a silver medal performance,” ani Vargas.
Bukod sa 2009 SEA Games at sa 2010 Asian Games, ang pinakaasam na kauna-unahang gold medal sa Olympic Games ang pinaghahandaan ng ABAP sa 2012 sa London.
“Like Talk ‘N Text’s quest for a first PBA championship in six years, our quest for our first Olympic gold medal will be a long journey that will have its ups and downs which we hope will bear fruits in the long run,”ani Vargas.