Jawo, Buhain kabilang sa 2021 PH Hall-of-Fame

Ni Edwin Rollon

LIVING legend ng Philippine basketball, tatlong Olympic medal­ists, dalawang Southeast Asian Games icon, swimming champion, football at basketball legend.

'Pikon daw?' UAAP fan na nag-dirty finger, agaw-eksena sa San Juan Arena!

Hindi matatawaran ang nagawang karangalan at dangal sa bayan. At akma lamang na pagkalooban sila ng pinakamataas na parangal sa Philippine Sports.

Iluluklok bilang ika-apat na batch sa Philippine Hall-of-Fame ang 10 ‘Great­est Pilipino Sports Heroes’ ng kanilang henerasyon, sa pangunguna nina bas­ketball living legend at dating Senator Robert ‘Big J’ Jaworski at swimming icon Eric Buhain.

Kasama nila ang walo pang napili ng PSHOF Selection Committee, sa pa­mumuno nina Philippine Sports Com­mission (PSC) Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Commit­tee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino at Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Chairman Abraham ‘Baham’ Mitra, na sina Olympic boxing medalists Leopol­do Serrantes at Roel Velasco; SEA Games long jump queen Elma Muros-Posadas; bowling champion Arianne Cerdena; football legend Paulino Alcantara; trackster Rogelio Onofre; basketball at football coach Dionisio Calvo; at swim­ming champion Gertrudes Lozada.

Kabilang bilang mga miyembro ng Committee – nabuo sa bisa ng Repub­lic Act 8757 -- sina Philippine Football Federation Secretary General Atty. Ed Gastanes; Philcycling Secretary General Atty. Billy Sumagui; Philippine Olym­pians Association (POA) President Akiko Thompson-Guevara at UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rene Andrei Saguisag Jr.

“I would like to thank everyone for all their work. It is very enriching for me to be part of this awards. I am pleased with the choices of both the review and selection committees. Congratulations to all the 4th batch enshrines!” pahayag ni Ramirez.

Naging masinsin ang pagbalangkas sa lahat ng nominadong atleta para sa naturang parangal at sa huling botohan batay na rin sa inihaing rekomendasyon ng ‘Review Committee’ na binubuo ng mga beteranong sports editors at his­torian, napili ang 10 na pagkakalooban ng parangal sa gagawing seremonya sa April.

“It’s been a pleasure. Na-apreciate ko ang review committee, malaking tulong. Salamat sa inyong recommen­dation. I am glad that a new batch of people who fought for the country and sacrificed a lot will be given recognition to inspire the new generation of sports heroes,” sambit ni Mitra.

Napatanyag si Jaworski sa makasay­sayang hidwaan sa PBA ng Crispa at Toyota noong dekada 70 at nakilala ang ‘never-say-die’ spirits bilang play­ing-coach ng pinakasikat na koponang Ginebra.

Ginabayan din ng dating University of the East superstar ang Team Philip­pines sa maraming international tourna­ment bilang player at bilang coach na­kamit ng bansa ang silver medal noong 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

Sa kabuun ng kanyang swimming career mula noong 1985, humakot ng ka­buuang 20 medalya si Buhain, kabilang ang 13 ginto tampok ang makasaysayang limang gintong panalo sa 1991 Southeast Asian Games sa Manila.

Tangan din ni Buhain ang karangalan bilang tanging atleta na naging Chair­man ng Philippine Sports Commission (2001) at Games and Amusements Board (2005). Nagsilbi rin siyang Executive Di­rector sa Bureau of Immigration (BID) at kasalukuyang katuwang sa community development ng maybahay na si Batan­gas First District Representative Eileen Ermita-Buhain.

“What an honor. I’m very humbled to be enshrine in the Philippine Hall-of- Fame alongside with the greatest ath­letes of all time. What a gift,” pahayag ni Buhain.

Bago pa man nakilala ang Argentine striker na si Lionel Messi, ang tubong Iloi­lo na si Alcantara ang isa sa pinakaman­ingning na manlalaro ng Barcelona FC.

Tangan niya ang most number of goals scored na 395 goals sa loob ng 399 na laro na bumilang din ng maraming taon bago nabura ni Messi. Miyembro din sya ng koponan na nagwagi ng limang Spanish championship at 10 Catalan championships.

Si Calvo naman ay isang versatile athlete, na nagwagi ng men’s diving gold medal sa 1921 Far Eastern Games, at bahagi ng men's basketball team na nagwagi ng gold noong 1927 Asiad. Miyembro din sya ng men's basketball squad na tumapos na fifth overall noong 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.

Isang freestyle specialist, naging kinatawan naman si Lozada sa 1954 Melbourne Olympics kung saan sum­abak siya sa women’s 100 at 400-meter freestyle events. Nagwagi naman sya ng silver medal sa 400-meter freestyle noong 1958 Tokyo Asian Games.

Hindi man regular sports ang bowl­ing sa 1988 Seoul Olympics, ang panalo ni Cerdeña ang nagluklok sa kanya para tanghaling Bowlere of the Year ng World Bowling Federation.

Parehas namang nanalo sina Ser­rantes at Velasco ng boxing bronze medals sa 1988 Seoul at 1992 Barcelona Summer Games sa men’s light flyweight division ayon sa pagkakasunod.

Three-time Olympian naman ang sprinter na si Onofre na naging kina­tawan ng bansa sa Rome, Tokyo at Mex­ico noong 1960,1964 at 1968 Olympics ayon sa pagkakadunud-sunod.

Nagwagi rin sya ng gold medal bil­ang bahagi ng men’s 4x100-meter relay noong 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.

Si Muros-Posadas naman ang isa sa pinakamatibay at bemedalled track and field athletes sa Philippine sports. Tangan niya ang 8 women’s long jump titles sa Southeast Asian Games, sprint double gold sa women’s 100 at 200-meter noong 1995 sa Chiang Mai, Thailand. Sumabak din siya sa 1984 Los Angeles at 1996 At­lanta Olympics.