Misplaced priorities?

The 18th Asian Games, also known as Jakarta Palembang 2018 will formally open tomorrow at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium. About 15,000 delegates comprising athletes, officials, support staff and junketeers will be covered by approximately 5,000 media people. This number will be protected by 100,000 security personnel with another 100,000 soldiers and police on standby.

Behind a P75 million budget, the Philippines’ 299 athletes and 63 officials will compete in 31 disciplines and try to improve on the 1-gold, 3-silver, 11-bronze medal finish during the Incheon, Korea edition in 2014. The Phl delegation is heavy on combat sports of which results depend on judges or jury members. In sports like boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo and jujitsu, our athletes need to knock the living daylights out of opponents to ensure victory.

After missing 9 editions, Phl women’s volleyball is back in the Asiad and the country’s best female spikers are aiming for a strong finish. The team is like a who’s who in the country’s women’s v-ball.

The usual parade of athletes will usher the opening ceremonies and each delegation will have somebody bearing their respective country’s flag. The flag bearer becomes the ceremonial leader of the delegation of this particular major international multi-sport event.

The Philippine Olympic Committee, the delegation head and its deputies deliberated on who would have the honor of carrying the country’s colors. Usually, outstanding athletes from recent international competitions or former athletes will be picked to carry the flag. From this pool of athletes supposedly had the sports officials picked as the flag bearer.

Three athletes were considered as favorites – BMX rider Daniel Caluag, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and bowler Krizziah Lyn Tabora. Reportedly also considered were marathoner Mary Joy Tabal, triathlete Nikko Huelgas and swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi.

Caluag campaigned in the 2012 London Olympics and was the country’s lone gold medallist in the 2014 Asian Games. Diaz is the second Filipino to win an Olympic silver medal in Rio 2016 after boxer Onyok Velasco at Atlanta 1996. Diaz was also the flag bearer during the London Olympics.

Tabora is the fourth Filipina to win the Bowling World Cup after Litadel Rosario (1978), Bong Coo (1979) and CJ Suarez (2003). She did the feat in Mexico last November. Combined, Phl have 8 bowling world cup titles, the other four coming from the legendary Paeng Nepomuceno. The final choice for the flag bearer went to Caluag probably because of his gold medal finish in the previous Asiad and that Diaz and Tabora are rested as they might have events scheduled the following day.

From Phl basketball and its favored coach, we had witnessed drama no other drama had ever known and with its continuing plot of Probinsyano proportions. And just like Cardo blasting his enemies to kingdom come, the designated flag bearer was unceremoniously dumped in favor of a high profile NBA player. Kalooy pud. Will the Phl chef de mission eat his words and now be back watching NBA games? Kaahak naba ani hitaboa.

I have nothing against Jordan Clarkson as his intentions seems to be pure and all fairness, he was unknowingly dragged into this mess because of the misplaced priorities of our sports leaders. I’m also a hoops fan but there is too much basketball infatuation from these leaders that other potential medal winning sports take a back seat.

We can’t medal in basketball against Asia’s best much less the world yet we spend too much of our devalued peso on a sport we can never dominate in the Austral-Asia region. And surely, we can’t even dominate in a brawl. He won’t be Phl basketball’s savior in Indonesia but frankly, JC’s appearance is plain and simple novelty. He’s a legit NBA star and him leading the Phl delegation is a smash hit not only for the country but for the 2018 Asian Games.

Let’s make things clear. I’m not spreading hate against JC and in fact like him and have his signed basketball cards. The issue here is his choice as flag bearer. Wa na juy lain? Basketball has 12 players but it is only good for one medal. Why can’t our leaders train their blurry and sore-eyed sights on individual sports? Because there’s no glamor and sponsors are scarce? Show a bit of love, even if the love is for show. Philippine sports is not basketball alone.

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The Cebu International Chess Society, a new club, will have an open tournament tomorrow at The Greens Level 2 (Basement 2) of the Robinson’s Galleria and at stake will be ratings for the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. As per club officer and good friend Raffy Osumo, rated players will be on this tournament and have to master their moves so as not to surrender to lower rated or non-rated players lest they lose points from their ratings. Yes, more wins, more points.

The CICS conducted free clinics last April and an allkiddie event is scheduled come October with the U-10, U-12 and U-15 categories. I’m not so sure if they’re still there but I have a feeling that the space and chess tables on one of the hallways at the Ayala Center is CICS operated.