Christmas is a new pair of shoes for 12-year-old

Peter Salazar will get his wish this Christmas: a new pair of running shoes.

But unlike some kids who can have it the minute they ask for it, the 12-year-old Peter had to work hard for it. He had to wake up as early as 3 a.m. yesterday, travel from Tatalon, Quezon City to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, then win the 3K kiddie run (10-12 years old) of the 26th National Milo Marathon.

For crossing the finish line in 10 minutes 55 seconds, the first-year high school student of San Sebastian won his second straight 3K crown in the same division, barely ahead of runner-up Ronald Labajanan who submitted the same time and third placer Jaycee Tidor who was just a second behind.

"Parang nag-practice lang po. Kung manalo okay lang, kung matalo okay lang din," he said minutes after crossing the finish line as he was looking for his father, a Manila policeman and a running enthusiast himself, who guided him throughout the race on board a motorcycle.

Peter is actually a track and field scholar at San Sebastian, finishing his first year of residency so he could join the high school team for the 2003 NCAA season. The kid who stands a little above five feet and has John Lozada of the RP team as his idol also hopes to make it big someday — preferably in the 800- and 1,500-meter run.

"Napanood ko po kasi si John sa Grand Prix dito sa Rizal Memorial kaya gusto ko maging ganoon din ako," he said.

But for the moment, he’s happy and contented having won the 3K crown and the P1,500 prize money that goes with it. He said he would use it to buy a new pair of running shoes this Christmas. He wants a Nike.

"Can you get a Nike for P1,500?" he was asked.

"Kung hindi man, eh di kaunti na lang ang idadagdag ng tatay ko," he said with a simple smile. — Abac Cordero