Mad about Huaraches

The response to our recent "Huarache" contest was overwhelming. I didn’t expect it. Neither did Nike, which gave away four pairs of the limited edition Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 shoe in All-Star colors of red white and blue to lucky readers whose entries were picked out of a big box.

There were over 3,000 entries in the three-day contest, which was announced on a Tuesday and set a deadline of 5 p.m. the next Thursday. Nike was set to retail 30 pairs on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Nike Park, Glorietta 4, so the contest winners had to be named the day before to get first crack at their sizes.

I wasn’t sure if the contest would draw the usual enthusiastic response from readers because of the limited period within which to send entries. But the indication was clear the morning of the announcement. Before Tuesday noon, The Star lobby guard reported over 50 entries. He was ready for a deluge. And as sure as the sunsets in the West, the flood came.

Roni Ramos of The Star assembled a drop box to make it easy for readers to deposit their entries. The box couldn’t hold the entries in the end because of the overflow.

The winners were picked at random by contest coordinator Babes Angat. Their answers checked out.

The lucky four were Ephraim Penaranda, Dr. George Hernandez, Joseph Mangibin and Rosemarie Uy.

Penaranda’s answers were Chris Webber and Juwan Howard as two of the University of Michigan Fab Five who wore Huaraches in the 1992-93 March Madness, Brad Miller and Jermaine O’Neal as two of the All-Stars who wore Huaraches in the recent NBA All-Star Game and the "sandal" which is what the Huarache is fondly called.

Penaranda, 18, sent only three entries. He is a sophomore computer technology student at Philippine Christian University. His parents are college professors in Mindoro. One of three boys, he is an avid reader of "A Sporting Chance" and a Nike loyalist. He wears size 9 Nikes.

Dr. Hernandez’ answers were Webber and Jalen Rose, Dirk Nowitzki and Miller and the "sandal." The 43-year-old surgeon is an NBA and PBA fan who regularly watches pro games at the Araneta Coliseum and the PhilSports Arena. Basketball is often the topic of discussion among co-doctors when they’re not talking about operations. His wife Dang is a nurse. Dr. Hernandez, who wears size 8 Nikes, has three children–high school freshman Patrick, Grade 5 student Bryan and Lian in kindergarten.

Mangibin, 22, sent in only one entry via LBC. He is a research assistant and wears size 12 Nikes. His father Bobby is a businessman and mother Charity, a nurse. He has a sister Mia, 18. According to Mangibin, his family subscribes to only one newspaper, The Star, of course. His answers were Webber and Howard, O’Neal and Artest and the "sandal."

Uy, 37, sent in 20 entries. Her answers were Webber and Rose, Paul Pierce and Ron Artest and the "sandal." She’s an airline employee. Her husband Benjie, 46, is an avid reader of The Star’s sports section. Their two children are Tiffany, 9, and Benedict, 6. She chose a size 10 1/ 2 Huarache for her husband.

The entries came from all over–Silang, Limay, Iloilo City, Canlubang, Baguio, Legazpi, Cagayan de Oro, Bangued, Davao City, Tuguegarao, Marilao, Daraga, Dasmarinas, Cabanatuan, Malasiqui, Tacloban, Tarlac City, Calamba, Batangas City, Ormoc, Iba, Lucena, Laoag, San Fernando (La Union), Nasugbu, Sta. Rosa, Angeles City, Calasiao, Bayombong, Bacolod, Mangaldan, Isabela, Naga City, Baybay, General Santos City, Puerto Princesa, Pateros, Taguig, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Makati, Marikina, Antipolo, Pasig, Caloocan, Novaliches, Malabon and Valenzuela.

The winners claimed their prizes from Nike footwear sales supervisor Juan Evangelista and Nike Park Glorietta 4 operations manager Caloy Caubang promptly at 6 p.m. last Feb. 13 in Makati. Congratulations to the proud owners of the limited edition Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4.

Postscript: The first Asian Institute of Management Leadership Cup will be held at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club on March 3. Tee off is from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Legends course. At stake in the inter-batch competition is a perpetual trophy in the form of a Ramon Orlina glass sculpture. Each batch may be represented by five or more players with the scores of the best five players to count using the 36-Stableford handicap system. The tournament is part of a week-long celebration culminating in the Alumni Homecoming Party on March 5 at the Megaworld Forbestown Center in the Fort. For details, please contact the AIM Alumni office at tel. 750-6575. Jimmy Teotico, MBM batch 1984 coordinator, said the homecoming theme is compassion–to lead with your heart. Net proceeds of the homecoming event will be used to provide additional beds and other living facilities for streetchildren wards of the Bahay Maria Child Center in Makati.