Sanahin ang Pinoy sa open water swimming! – Buhain
UNANG Olympic gold ng bansa sa sports ng aquatics?
Para kay two-time Olympian at 12- time Southeast Asian Games champion Eric Buhain malaki ang tsansa ng bansa na malamit ang minimithing gintong medalya kung pagtutuunan nang pansin ang open water swimming.
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“To tell you frankly, kaya nating manalo ng Olympic gold kung sisimulan natin ngayon na palakasin ang programa sa open water swimming,” pahayag ni Buhain, pinakamatagumpay na Pinoy swimmers sa napagwagihang anim na gintong medalya sa 1991 SEA Games, sa kanyang pagbisita sa Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) ‘Usapang Sports’ sa National Press Club sa Intramuros.
“We have more than 7,000 islands. Ang daming talento na available. What we need is to organize open water swimming tournaments. Bigyan ng suporta financially and for the 2020 Tokyo Games or the next edition in 2024 we’re ready and I’ sure malalim na yung pool ng talents natin,” sambit ni Buhain, naitalagang Chairman ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at Games and Amusement Board (GAB) sa administrasyon ng Pangulong Gloria Arroyo.
Naging regular sports sa Olympics ang open water swimming noong 2008 Beijing Games.
“And if I were a long-distance swimmer competing in the 400- meter individual medley and 200-meter butterfly, I would need to be training more,” aniya.
Kinatigan ni dating national swimming team coach Pinky Brosas ang pananaw ni Buhain.
Aniya, hitik sa talento ang Pinoy sa open water swimming – isa sa swimming event na isinasagawa sa karagatan, ilog at sapa – bunsod na rin nang pagkakaroon ng napalawak na karagatan ng bansa.
“If you ask me, open water swimming could be a rich source of medals for the Filipinos in international competitions, including the Olympics,” pahayag ni Brosas.
Ayon kay Brosas, isa ring Olympian at itinuturing alamat sa local swimming coaching, higit na mabibigyan nang pagkakataon ang mga atleta na manalo sa international competition kung muling magbabalik ang programa sa training sa long distance at hindi sa nakakasanayang sprint tulad ng 50 at 100 meter race.
“We need to focus on longer distance and endurance training to raise the level of our swimmers’ performance. Most young swimmers today have to compete in longer distance events rather than sprints,” sambit ni Brosas.
Iginiit niyang ang kakulangan sa ‘endurance training’ ang isa sa dahilan sa patuloy na pagbagsak ng swimming sa international meet. Huling nakapanalo ng gintong medalya ang Pinoy sa SEA Games noong 2009 edition.
“We live in a country with more than 7,000 islands surrounded by waters. Mindanao has a lot of good swimmers who can be trained to become world-beaters.”
“In Basilan, we can even find swimmers as tall as six feet,” aniya.
-Edwin G. Rollon
