BASKETBALL Young triathlete competes for missing dad
At a young age, junior triathlete Kaira Charlize Bordios is already showing she can be as tough as an adult. Her father went missing last summer, but still, she was able to push through with her plan to join the 2017 Alaska Ironkids Philippines.
Bordios was one of more than 350 up-and-coming young triathletes who trooped to the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City for the Alaska Ironkids Philippines last Saturday, capping an emotional journey.
The Grade 7 student of Negros Occidental National High School learned last summer that her father, Arcedny, a seaman, went missing while the ship he was on was traversing the Indian Ocean.
Bordios’ inspiration was her father. She said she will never forget the words she would usually hear before a race. “Even if you don’t win, you’re still a winner for me,” her father would tell her every time she races.
The native of Bacolod City will probably never hear those words again. But she will continue to do triathlons for her father.
“He (Arcedny) was missing last May 10. The company thought that he fell to the water while on duty at the deck. No one saw what happened and there was no CCTV camera,” Charry Bordios, the mother of Kaira Charlize, told sports scribes during an interview.
Charry said that what’s hard is when you don’t know what really happened. No one saw it.
She’s strong
“All of the crew members in the ship were interviewed but they did not see the incident. The ship was running when it happened. They were in the Indian Ocean going to the Suez Canal. The area is known to have many sharks,” said Charry.
Despite that, Kaira Charlize remained strong and continued her training for the race.
Kaira Charlize once considered skipping this year’s edition, if not for her sheer determination to continue for her father.
“I want my Papa (father) to see that I’m strong. I want to improve for him,” said Kaira Charlize while looking at the medal she got for finishing 11th in the girls’ 13 to 14 class.
This is the third time Kaira Charlize joined the Alaska Ironkids Philippines and she’s looking to return again next year to chase that elusive podium finish.
Before joining triathlons, Kaira Charlize was a swimmer for Negros Occidental National High School and represented the school in provincial meets.
It’s a tough stage for the family, but Charry remains strong for her two kids. Kaira Charlize is the younger child.
“There was no body found so there’s no death certificate. After a person has been declared missing, you have to wait for four years before you can file it in court,” said Charry.
A day after her father went missing, Kaira Charlize was still able to win a title in the women’s division of Silay 5K Open Water Swim. Her goal now is to win one in a triathlon.
“I’m going to continue doing triathlon until I will become a champion. It’s for my father,” she said. /