INQUIRER Sports

THERE WAS no need to hurry, the two-minute buzzer had not sounded, but Mayor Edward Hagedorn nevertheless made a sprinting decision to approve the National Youth boxing tournament which starts on Monday in Puerto Princesa City.

?All he asked was: How much?? said Ed Picson, executive director of the Amateur Boxing Association.

Hagedorn promptly gave the nod when told of the amount: P3 million.

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It?s officially called the 2010 Smart/PLDT-ABAP National Amateur Boxing Championships, a competition in both male and female division involving boxers aged 11 to 18 years.

Anyway, if Hagedorn, cool and classy in standard bush jacket and baseball cap, appeared a little frantic when he approved the hosting of the National Youth boxfest, it?s because he too knew that the country?s first Olympic gold medal is long overdue.

Ever the straight shooter, Hagedorn announced that, honestly, the tournament should also help in their bid to have the world-famous Underground River in Puerto Princesa be named among the New Wonders of the World, a feat that should itself feel grand as an Olympic gold.

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Hagedorn left Palawan for Manila last Monday to extend his invitation to both members of the media and the competitors, over 200 aspirants who have been selected from four regional eliminations last year in Ormoc, Panabo City, Tayabas and Mandaluyong City.

?We have also called on other stables that were unable to send participants to the regional eliminations to send entries,? said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Ricky Vargas during the press conference held at the new ABAP gym inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Vargas said their goal is inclusion?not exclusion?the reason they wanted as many qualified aspirants as possible.

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There, indeed, should be talent galore, going by the results of the regional tournaments.

But, hold it, warned Picson. The ABAP executive director said that, no matter how many or how great the talents would be confirmed in the Youth boxfest, everything has to be done one step at a time.

They were not about to cut corners, Picson assured.

?We will choose kung sino ang pwede, then put them under intensive training,? he explained. ?These successful Youth entries will also have to prove themselves in the Youth Olympics in August, before they could try out for the Asian Games.

There was great hurry and there was also no hurry.

On the whole though, Hagedorn?s rush approval of the Youth boxfest was his way of moving past another mound of national garbage?the stinking childish leadership quarrel between the country?s sports czars in the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

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FRANTIC CALL: Time is of the essence and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BCSP) said it?s appealing for donations to support the RP team for the World Team Pool Team Championship in Germany on Jan. 31-Feb. 7.

?Because of the PSC refusal to support the RP team campaign, the BSCP is left with no choice but to seek donations from the public to ensure the Philippine participation,? said national pool leader Yen Makabenta. He continued: ?We have very little time left. Please send donations for Team Pinoy to BSCP secretary general Carlos Santos Viola, tel. 09215014550. Donations are tax exempt.?

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From the PSC: ?The messages circulating on the participation of the RP team to the 2010 World Pool Team championship are unfair. BSCP never visited PSC to discuss their request. A review of documents also showed the event, which offers a total of $398,000, is professional and therefore not within the scope of PSC?s mandate for support and funding.?