LIVING HIS FATHER’S DREAM
Davao City’s Labuan BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games double gold medalist Sonny Wagdos captures bronze in his SEA Games debut
MANILA - If his father could only see him now, he would have cried for joy that his dream of seeing his son Sonny Wagdos compete and win a bronze medal in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is fulfilled before his very eyes.
Former University of Mindanao (UM) prized trackster and Davao City’s Labuan BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games double gold medalist Wagdos salvaged the men’s 5,000-meter bronze for the Philippines at the sprawling New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac yesterday, December 9.
“Para kay Papa jud ni kay damgo niya mag national team ko og mudula para sa nasud. Wala naman si Papa pero para gihapon ni sa iyaha (This is for my father who only dreamt of seeing me become a national team member and play for the country. Papa is already gone but still this is for him),” he told Sun.Star Davao in a phone interview.
He began running at Telaje Elementary School in Tandag, Surigao del Sur when he was 12. His father Samson was killed during a motorcycle accident in 2011, leaving their mother Laarni alone in raising their children. But Wagdos shared the responsibility through competing in fun runs that earned him cash prizes whenever he wins.
Wagdos, 24, born in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, clocked 14 minutes and 34.73 seconds to trail behind Thailand’s Kieran Tuntivate and Vietnam’s Van Lai Nguyen, who clinched the gold and silver, respectively.
Tuntivate timed 14:31.15 while Nguyen registered 14:32.42.
Wagdos said, the men’s marathon champion Agus Prayogo of Indonesia was leading from the start but lost stem in the final lap. The latter, who also got a silver in men’s 10,000m, finished fifth instead.
“Bun-og najud tingali sya kay nag marathon nag 10K pa then nag 5K (He must be dead tired as he also raced in the marathon, 10,000m and 5,000m),” the bemedaled National Prisaa Games runner said, pertaining to the Indonesian.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) personnel also recalled that he just paced with the frontrunners in the first few laps where he was behind at fifth. Wagdos, however, broke away and raced past two others, including the Indon marathon champion, in the final lap of 400 meters.
“Tag-isa ra jud ka dupa among biya, digkit kaayo mi. Nagbinuhiay na sa last lap pero dili najud maapas tong duha kay nahutdan na sad ko. Nasamad gani ko sa tuhod kay naigo ko sa spike sa nag una nako (The race was so tight. We all broke away in the last lap but I could no longer catch up with the first two. My knee got hit by the spike of a runner before me),” he said but the slight wound could not outweigh the joy he is feeling for winning his first SEA Games medal after joining the national team for about four months ago.
He said, he’s happy to still win a medal for the country considering that he only trained at NCC daily starting last November 10.
He added, “Wala ko kasabot sa akong gibati. Tibuok Pilipinas nagcheer kay gi live man ang lumba. Maayo okay akong conditioning maski kulang ang preparasyon. Maulaw sad ko nga matuyukan kay daghan kaayong Pinoy nag-cheer para nako, dako kaayo sila og tabang. Naningkamot lang jud ko magkamedalya (It’s a mixed feelings since the entire Philippines watched and cheered for me as the race was aired live. It’s just good that I’m well conditioned despite the lack of preparations. It would be embarrassing if my rivals would leave me behind since a lot of Filipinos were cheering for me at the stadium. I just did my best to win a medal).”
He also dedicated his medal to good friend and Philippines’ undisputed marathon champion Rafael Poliquit who passed away early this year, joking that maybe the latter pushed him to reach a bronze finish, as well as to his wife and child; family, friends and relatives; coaches over the years; teammates; and to all Filipinos.