Asian Games heroes feted

President Arroyo gave yesterday the Asian Games heroes the incentives due them for their stirring performance in Busan even as she instructed sports officials to prepare early for the coming Southeast Asian Games next year in Vietnam.

In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, the President handed out the financial rewards totalling P11.5 million to about 60 athletes and coaches who worked hand in hand in giving the country an Asiad harvest of three gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals, the best in 16 years. The rites were held at the Villamor Golf Club’s social hall.

The President, however, did not speak but she gave instructions to Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain to start preparations early for next year’s SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

"It is the President’s wish for us to hand out cash rewards to our present heroes who made the country proud in the Busan Asian Games," Buhain told The STAR.

"The President is really happy with our athletes’ performance in Busan that she made mention of preparing early for next year’s SEA Games in Vietnam for us to win more gold medals," he added.

Led by bowling’s Paeng Nepomuceno and RJ Baustista, billiards’ Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Antonio Lining, credited for two of RP’s three gold medals, were there to receive their incentives while Mai- Mai Cojuangco represented her sister Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.

Apart from the P1 million she got for topping equestrian’s individual showjumping event, Cojuangco-Jaworski, who is reportedly in the United States along with her family, also had a piece of the P.5 million won by RP’s showjumping team comprising of herself, Toni Leviste, Danielle Schulze Cojuangco and Michelle Barrera.

Aside from the President and Buhain, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Ephraim Genuino and equestrian chief former Tarlac Rep. Jose "Peping"

Cojuangco were also present in the ceremony. Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit was also there but had to leave early.

Other medal winners were silver medalists CJ Suarez, Chester King and Botchok Rey (Men’s Trios, Bowling), Liza Clutario, Jojo Canare, Cecille Yap, Irene Garcia-Benitez and Liza del Rosario (Women’s five player team, Bowling), Warren Kiamco (9-ball singles, Billiards), Rexel Nganhayna (Men’s 56-kg Sanshou, Wushu), Marvin Sicomen (Men’s 52-kg Sanshou, Wushu) and Harry Tanamor (Lightflyweight, Boxing).

Also going home with the incentives were bronze medalists Efren "Bata" Reyes (8-ball singles, Billiards), Jaime Recio, Jethro Dionisio and Eric Ang (Men’s Trap team, Shooting), Carmelette Villaroman, Ria Quiazon and Heidi Chua (Women’s Team, Golf), Bobby Co (Men’s Tajiquan, Wushu), Daleen Cordero (Women’s Flyweight, Taekwondo), Arvin Ting (Men’s Changcuan, Wushu), Jethro Dionisio (Men’s Trap Individual, Shooting), Cherlui Tugday (Women’s Individual Kata, Karatedo), Liza Clutario (Women’s Singles, Bowling), Sally Solis (Women’s Middleweight, Takewondo), Veronica Domingo (Women’s Welterweight, Taekwondo), Eduard Folayang (Men’s 65-kg Sanshou, Wushu), Tshomlee Go (Men’s Flyweight, Taekwondo), Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova (Men’s Lightweight Doubles Sculls, Rowing), Gretchen Malalad (Women’s Kumite, Karatedo) and Dindo Simpao (men’s Middleweight, Taekwondo).

The national athletes received a total of P8.6 with P1 million going to gold medalists, P.5 million to silver medal winners and P100,000 to bronze medalists while their coaches took home P2,954,167.

Billiards’ Ricardo Ancaja, Boxing’s Greg Caliwan, Pat Gaspi and Nolito Velasco and Taekwondo’s Korean National Kim Tae Hyung were some of the coaches who were present in the event.