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By Emil C. Noguera, Correspondent
A BRAND new car awaits the athlete who will
bring home a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics, the Philippine
Sports Commission (PSC) announced Monday.
PSC Chairman William Ramirez said Toyota
Balintawak, in cooperation with JB Sports and Music, committed a
Toyota Vios to the lucky athlete who will end the country’s gold
medal drought.
“Mas magiging inspirado ang mga atleta natin
at naniniwala ako na malaki ang pag-asa na makuha ang Vios na
‘yan. For us to win, we have to believe in our athletes,” said
Ramirez.
Toyota executive Cosco Oben added that the first
athlete to win the silver would also get a car.
“If there are three gold medalists, we will
give three cars and another one for the first silver medalist. We
want to give added inspiration to our athletes and by doing this we
hope that our athletes achieve sports excellence in Beijing,” said
Oben.
Besides the car, the gold winner will also get
P15 million, including P4.5 million from President Gloria Arroyo.
Among those who contributed to the cash
incentive are business tycoon Lucio Tan, Microsoft-Philippines, No
Fear, businessmen Mikee and Reghis Romero, boxing champ Manny
Pacquiao and Brickroad, through the Philippine Sportswriters
Association.
Tae kwon do jins Mary Antoinette Rivero and
Tshomlee Go will receive P1 million more from Petron.
Since joining the Olympics in 1924, the
country’s best effort was two silvers courtesy of boxers Anthony
Villanueva in 1964 Tokyo and Mansueto Velasco in 1996 Atlanta, and
seven bronzes.
Meanwhile, the main bulk of the Philippine
delegation led by Chef de Mission Monico Puentevella and Olympic
attaché Arturo Macapagal leaves Tuesday for Beijing.
Also in the group are Marestella Torres and
Henry Dagmil of athletics, Harry Tañamor of boxing, Sheila Mae
Perez and Rexel Ryan Fabriga of diving, Daniel Coackley, Ryan Paolo
Arabejo, Miguel Molina, James Walsh and Joan Christel Simms of
swimming and Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting.
Other officials leaving are Philippine Olympic
Committee (POC) Chairman Robert Aventajado, Amateur Boxing
Association of the Philippines President Manny Lopez and
Secretary-General Roger Fortaleza, coaches Patricio Gaspi, Jennifer
Chan, Joseph Sy, Juan Enrique Tissert, Zhang Dehu, Jason Calanog,
Carlos Brosas and Ramon Solis, press officer Joey Romasanta, Ricardo
Yang, Mark Joseph and doctors Martin Camara, Alejandro Pineda and
Orson Odulio. Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee,
President Gloria Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, Philippine
Olympic Committee President Jose Cojuangco, POC Secretary-General
Steve Hontiveros, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez and Sen. Gringo Honasan
will leave on August 7.
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