A golden journey towards the fulfillment of promise
Rising track star delivers for late mother in Milo Olympics
Rising track star Jessie Abelgos of the Sisters of Mary School-Boystown completed a marvelous run in this year’s edition of the Milo Little Olympics Visayas Finals with a heavy heart but at the same time with a deep sense of fulfillment and self gratification knowing that he has pleased someone special who may no longer be in his sight physically but is always by his side in spirit.
Last week at the Cebu City Sports Center, the Abuyog, Leyte-native trackster bagged the first gold medal in the 23rd edition of the annual sports conclave bankrolled by Nestle Philippines after defending his title in the secondary boys 5,000m run with a personal best of 17 minutes and
19 seconds.
H e surpassed his 17:57 time when he earned his breakthrough gilt during his debut in the Milo Olympics stage last year.
“Dakong kalipay akong nabati kay giisip ko ni nga pultahan sa usa ka hayag nga kaugmaon. Pinaagi niini, I hope matagad akong talento ug someday makakuha ko’g scholarship sa akong pagtongtong sa college,” said the 16-year-old Abelgos, who carted away another gold medal in the secondary boys 800m run with a time of two minutes and 11.52 seconds.
For some, this may be just a similar dream for teenagers to be able to graduate in college but for Abelgos, it is a fulfillment to a promise of a son to his late mother.
Weeks after his golden showing in 2017, a heartrending news about his beloved mother Nenita sent Abelgos in a state of unexplicable sorrow.
“At that time, I didn’t know that she’s already gone. It was only during our visiting day when my elder brother broke the sad news to me,” narrated Abelgos.
“At first, I was too excited to show to my mother that I was in the newspaper. I even reserved a copy of the news because I wanted to personally show it to her but I did not see her during out visiting day. Only my brother was there and he explained to me the whole situation. He said our mother purposely did not want to let me know about her condition because I might go back home in Leyte.”
Abelgos vividly recalled that it was her mother who persuaded him to take the entrance test in SMSBoystown for him to avail of a quality free education program his parents cannot afford.
“Dili gyud unta ko ganahan mo-eskwela og layo kay di ko ganahan malayo sa akong pamilya apan mao may gusto sa akong mama, unya mohilak man siya og dili ko modayon mao akong gituman iyang gusto ug nagpasalamat pud ko sa Ginoo nga nakasulod ko sa Boystown,” said Abelgos.
“Lisod man gud kaayo ang kinabuhi namo sa Leyte. Sa una, makakaon ko kausa ra gyud sa usa ka adlaw. Kay pobre lang mi ug naa sa akong hunahuna sa una nga di na gyud ko kahuman og eskwela sa college kay kahibaw man ko mahal og bayad mao to nawagtangan ko’g paglaum,” he continued.
“Apan kaluoy sa Ginoo, nakasulod ko sa Boystown. Ug nagpasalamat pud ko nga gihatagan ko og ing-ani nga talento. Karon isip usa ka atleta, nagpursige gyud ko aron matagad akong talento ug puhon makuha ko as a scholar,” said Abelgos who dreams to be a seafarer someday.
SOURCE OF STRENGTH
Remembering almost the same moment when Abelgos’ track idol Mary Joy Tabal lost her father a few hours before her race in last year’s 41st National Milo Marathon where the Olympic marathoner went on to complete a historic fivepeat, Abelgos shared that it was hard for him too to finish the 5K race this time now that his mother is gone.
Interestingly, Abelgos is part of Tabal’s grassroots program at SMS-Boystown.
While navigating the race course, there were moments that he almost gave up. But he held on and continued creating an imagery of her mother on his mind waiting for him in the finish line.
“Ang naa sa akong hunahuna that time kay mohunong na kay kapoy na, but akong na-imagine nga akong mama sige’g istorya sa akong hunahuna nga, “kaya rana nimo dong,” while nagdagan ko so akong gihimo nga inspiration akong mama. Kung baga siya naghuwat sa finish line mao nga na-encourage ko to give my best bisan kahibaw ko unsa ka kapoy ang 5K nga dagan,” said Abelgos.
“I made a promised to my mother to give my best in everything I do. This is all for her. I made a promise to her that one day I would help my family bahalag sa ginagmay lang. Iyahang pahimangno nako pirme sauna kung makahuman ko’g eskwela, ako daw makatabang sa akong mga igsoon ug mao pud kana akong pangandoy para nila. Kabalo ko nga nakakita siya nako karon and I hope proud siya nako.”
A CHAMPION’S
HEART
Abelgos highlighted that a champion is someone who possesses discipline and someone who knows to look back of his humble beginnings.
“Ang champion para nako is disiplinado ug obedient. Discipline, kay kung wala kay disiplina modako man gud imong ulo. Importante nga naa kay humility. One must remain humble ug dapat kahibaw ka mobalik kung diin ka nagsugod ug di ka maghinambog,” said the Grade 11 student.
“Mao na ako, dili nako isulod sa akong ulo akong mga achievements. Kung mo-appreciate sila, modawat ug magpasalamat lang ko but para sa akoa di ko ganahan maghinambog.”
Attesting his words, SMS-Boystown athletic coach Mark Allan T. Cantal said Abelgos is a natural humble person.
“Siya ang athlete nga di ganahan daygon pirme. Molihok ra gyud na siya’g iyaha. Less talk more on action mao na iyahang behavior. Humble g’yud sya as a person,” said Cantal.
In his promising athletic journey, Abelgos relished having learned some life’s valuable lessons through sports.
“Sa sports, daghan kaayo ka’g makat-onan labi na sa disiplina. Nakatabang pud ni aron ma-build up nako ang confidence sa akoang kaugalingon. Na-learn nako nga dako og matabang ang sports nimo kon maningkamot lang gyud ka ug imo lang isulod sa imong kasingkasing ug huna-huna imong passion,” he ended.