Elementary athletics: To compete or not to compete!

To help a rival to finish a race out of selflessness may be a bar too high for some. But Dabo, the athlete from West Africa, promptly and willingly helped his competitor finish the 5,000-meter race. Sportsmanship is a lesson in elementary athletics.

There is much to be adored about athletes other than their extraordinary stamina, fitness and skill. In one unforgettable “men’s 5,000-meter heats” at the world athletics championships in 2019, spectators at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar were wonderfully surprised by the self-sacrificing act of the distance-runner from Guinea-bissau, West Africa. Braima Suncar Dabo, instead of running ahead of his exhausted competitor Jonathan Busby from Aruba, chose to help the latter up and dragged him across the finish line.

Busby was on the verge of collapse on the last lap until Dabo came to his rescue. Together, they strode to complete the race. Busby collapsed again right after crossing the line. These two runners do not speak the same language, and, as in all athletic competitions, were bent on winning as they intensely represent their respective countries. But amazingly, one displayed such a gesture of sportsmanship that no gold or treasure can ever purchase. During his interview immediately after the race, Dabo said, “My thoughts were to help him finish, that is the point of the race.”

All sporting events are competitive, thus the Olympic creed that says: “The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.” Fighting well includes an athlete’s unselfish act, by every common measure, which can reverberate beyond the fields of friendly strife. That message, engendered from the heart, should have been the overwhelming aphorism for all of us who have been up and about with relief efforts since the onslaught of the recent multiple typhoons that hit the country. Young and old alike, one organization after another, friends and foes, extended an arm or two to give what they can for their fellowmen whose homes were destroyed, whose loved ones were lost, and whose means of livelihood were severely affected.

Yet during one televised press

briefing, President Duterte warned his much- publicized political rival, Vice President Leni Robredo, not to compete with him. President Duterte, likely misinformed by his aides, delivered a very venomous criticism and wildly vicious remarks against the second highest public official of the land, at the height of reinforcement operations for the typhoon victims. Triggered by the rumors that it was VP Leni herself who floated on social media the hashtag “Nasaanangpangulo” midpoint to the wrath of the calamity, President Duterte unleashed a barrage of comments that would make any decent person cringe. Perhaps it was the impact of the multitude of photos and videos demonstrating the lady official handing out goods before, during and after the typhoon that led to this presidential bawl out. Sensing the hashtag and these viral images to be either excessive or sarcastic, the Commander-inChief, who participated in a virtual Asean meeting during the height of these calamities, gave the caveat to his successor: “Do not compete with me” and “wawaswasin kita” (dress or shake down). While they are from different political parties, both Duterte and Robredo are leaders of the Philippine government whose objective, in times of national emergencies, should transcend political considerations.

Well-meaning Filipinos should know that performing good deeds, in or outside of government, knows no boundaries and is never a monopoly. Whenever good deeds are shared on social media, or broadcasted in any other way, it is done more likely to encourage others to do the same. Whenever one flaunts his good deed, with selfish motives such as those with political color, the deed ceases to be good. But whenever one displays his good deed, purposely to inform donors/sponsors where and how the donations were spent, the deed is basically predicated on drumming up more efforts from more people to stand up and help others finish the race called life.

Helping others is never about competition, unless the desire to help is premised on self- advancement. Regardless of VP Leni’s motives in allowing photographs about her relief efforts to be publicized, these are made pallid by the sanguine faces of every family whose lives she touched by her personal presence. Much as we cannot discount the proposition that a possible purpose was to advance her political career, just like that of an athlete in the track and field championship aiming to get that gold medal at the finish line, we should raise our pompoms and support her, regardless of whether we like her or don’t. Similar to runner Dabo helping Busby, Leni’s efforts, as well as those others like her (Cesar Sarmiento, Teng Zaide, my coworkers at SM, and even my daughter Regina Victoria) were geared toward the helpless and downtrodden. Such a good deed, when generated from the heart and driven by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, should be without enmity.

We may find ourselves in a rivalry with our neighbors, or in our workplace, or in school, just as the President and the Vice President render loyalties to different political parties. It may be a tough contest, a cutthroat competition, but the pressing necessity to display a compassionate heart for others ought to take primary weight regardless of the competition and notwithstanding the conspicuous antagonism. Reiterating the abiding principle in Hebrews 10:24 of the Bible: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” There is a time to compete and not compete. Helping others is never a competition! While the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (“Faster, Higher, Stronger”) is based on a performance metric in relation to another, our key performance indicator in our personal lives is based on one standard alone as found in John 13:34 of the Bible, which says, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Love is best expressed when we do good deeds, not in the spirit of competition, but of cooperation, to genuinely help others to please Him.

To help a rival to finish a race out of selflessness may be a bar too high for some. But Dabo, the athlete from West Africa, promptly and willingly helped his competitor finish the 5,000-meter race. Sportsmanship is a lesson in elementary athletics. May this lesson be re-learned by all of us, especially our leaders in government, present and future, as we shall face our Creator one day, hopefully echoing the apostle Paul’s testimonial in 2 Timothy 4:7 of the Bible that said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Amid this pandemic, let’s be reminded of a line from the movie Last Christmas—“we are lucky to be alive, we are lucky to be helping each other, one way or another.”

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.