VIGAN , Philippines – Newly crowned LBC Ronda Pilipinas king George Oconer of Standard Insurance-Navy looks up to his father, two-time Olympian Norberto, and former champions Santy Barnachea, Jan Paul Morales and Mark Galedo among others.
And like them, he wants to be a good example to younger generation of riders .
“Although I still have something left in me to win in the next Ronda Pilipinas editions, I’m not getting any younger,” said Oconer, 28, after emerging champion in the annual race presented by LBC and the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation.
“I hope the younger ones aspiring to be champions could see my example,” he added.
Starting in Ronda’s inaugural edition at a tender age of 19, Oconer endured a rollercoaster ride, refusing to give up in the face of all adversities and keeping the faith before eventually rising to the top.
“I just kept believing that my time would come someday. I never knew when, but I have always kept the faith that it would come,” said Oconer.
It did, putting Oconer in an honor roll alongside former Ronda titlists like Barnachea (2011, 20015), Morales (2016, 2017), Galedo (2012), Irish Valenzuela (2013), Reimon Lapaza (2014), Ronald Oranza (2018) and Spain’s Francis Mancebo (2019).
He said he followed their lead to carve out a path to success of his own.
“I learned a lot from my father and a lot of past champions and most of them became what they are because of hard work, discipline and dedication. So I did my best to do all those things,” he said.