Olympic icon, nagbigay ng papuri sa Pinoy gymnasts

ni Edwin Rollon

MALAKI ang pag-asa ng Pinoy gymnasts na madomina ang rehiyon at maging world-class athletes sa hinaharap.

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Mismong si five-time Olympic gold medalist at gymnastics Hall-of- Famer Nellie Kim ay napahanga sa galing at husay ng mga miyembro ng Philippine Team sa maiksing exhibition performance kahapon sa Gymnastics Center sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex sa Manila.

“Your athletes are very talented. They all smart. If you continued this kind of character, there’s no way for you but to go up. So strive more, trained more and played with desire to win,” pahayag ni Kim, na personal na binigyan ng papuri ang 10-anyos na si Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo.

Ang nakabatatang kapatid ni Jakarta Asian Games campaigner Carlos Yulo ang tinanghal na ‘most bemedalled athlete’ sa nakalipas na Batang Pinoy National Finals sa Baguio City matapos komolekta ng pitong gintong medalya.

“Wow, what age when you start playing gymnastics, for two-year time that’s amazing. You have the talent and your skills are amazing. Just give more time on details,” pahayag ni Kim, kasalukuyang Vice President ng Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) – ang international body sa

sports.

Dumating sa bansa ang 60- anyos na gymnastics icon para sa dalawang araw na pakikipagpulong sa mga miyembro ng national team at iba pang affiliated gymnastics club sa bansa.

“It is a privileged to have invited to the Philippines an icon to high-performing gymnastics worldwide. The extraordinary inspirations and passion that Nellie Kim can impart, share and create among our national and junior gymnasts and parents are valuable factors to push for the development of Philippines gymnastics,” pahayag ni Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion.

“For the first time, our gymnasts and their parents shall converge to learn from Kim’s personal experiences as a world-class athlete and coach, and a world’s respectable top-notch woman leader in gymnastics,” aniya.

Ayon kay Carrion, ang pagbisita ni Kim at pagbibigay ng lesson para sa training ng mga atleta at coach ay tapik sa balikat sa inilalargang programa ng GAP para mapalawak ang kaalaman sa sports ng sambayanan at mabigyan ng tamang suporta ang mga atleta para maging ‘world-class and competitive’.

“There is a big arena in this country from which we can tap and nurture world-class gymnasts. The over 30 Million Filipino children below 14 years old who can start playing, jumping and twisting on air in gymnastics gyms nationwide is a gigantic opportunity that must not be undermined. And, considering that gymnastics is the so-called sport for all sports because gymnastics skills are the basic skills for all sports,” pahayag ni Carrion.

Aniya, matindi na ang paghahanda ng koponan para sa hosting ng Southeast Asian Games sa bansa sa susunod na taon.

“We’re aiming high for the coming SEA Games hosting. We’re now closely coordinating with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the support on our program. Still, we need some help from the private sector,” sambit ni Carrion.

Bilang kinatawan ng USSR, naitala ni Kim ang tatlong ginto at isang silver noong 1976 Olympic Games kung saan naukit niya rin ang perpektong iskor na 10 sa Vault at Floor Exercise.

Itinuturin din siyang unang babaeng gymnast na nag-perform ng full 360° twist double back salto sa Vault, gayundin ang pamosong full twist Tsukahara vault.

Sa kabuuan ng kanyang career, nakapanalo si Kim ng 17 medalya, kabilang ang limang ginto sa Olympics.