The myth of Filipino athletes’ prowess

This has just got to stop.

Every two years, we send a brave contingent of athletes to fulfill their dreams of representing the Philippines in international competitions like the Southeast Asian Games.

The SEA Games are the most fundamental of the multisport events where times and distances are way below Asian and Olympic standards.

It doesn’t matter. It’s still an opportunity to bring honor to the country. And Filipino athletes are never, ever short in brave fighting hearts.

But somehow, somewhere the explanation that defeated athletes gave their all and fought for the Motherland is not enough to console our countrymen who are aching for more sterling performances from their sporting armies.

Since 2005, the year the country hosted the Games and wrested the top slot in the medal count away from the Thais and the Indonesians, it’s been a downhill skid where fifth, sixth and even seventh place are becoming all too familiar finishes for the Philippines.

This time around in Singapore, the country could not even come close to its predicted haul of 50 golds and nailed only 29.

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Two myths have already been busted so clearly: That the Filipino is a superior athlete to his Southeast Asian counterparts and that the rest of the field doesn’t have the athleticism, street smarts (“gulang” if you want) and flexibility that Filipino players have.

Those don’t necessarily hold true anymore.

Over the years, the rest of the SEA Games field has decided to be coached more rigidly and astutely and have opted to compete more aggressively against stronger competition, even if they do get beat badly and soundly.

We who were once clearly ahead in skills and knowhow in the Far Eastern Games (the precursor to the much-bigger Asian Games), the early years of the Asian Games and even the Olympics are now left chasing the countries we once trounced so easily.

It’s time to be more systematic, strategic and less political about our approach to sports.

If we want sports to continue to inspire our people and prove constantly that yes, the Filipino can compete against the best of Asia and the world, then it’s time to do a better job.

This finger pointing, fact-finding and alibi-dishing after every SEA Games has got to stop.  Instead, it’s time to win more gold medals again on every front.

We have two years before the next SEA Games in Malaysia.  Let’s get to work.

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