Roach could be of help in PH Olympic quest

IT SURE will help fuel the hunt for the elusive first Philippine Olympic gold medal.

Boxing superhero Manny Pacquiao has offered a P5-million incentive for the Filipino athlete who will capture the first Olympic gold medal for the country.

There’s already a waiting P5 million incentive for the achiever of the elusive feat, as stipulated in the national sports incentives law.

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Nothing has been heard of it again, but it goes without saying that the P12 million which tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan had dangled for the first Filipino Olympic gold medalist before the 2014 London Olympics is still up for grabs.

Pacquiao’s golden gesture was made during the Sports For All Seminar at the Philsports Arena, where he gave an inspirational talk and batted for more funding for Filipino athletes.

Pacquiao could’ve also been inspired by the rousing performance of the national boxing team that dominated the recent 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, by garnering 5 gold medals, 3 silvers and 2 bronzes, at the expense mainly of of perennial rival Thailand.

Pacquiao told fellow athletes to be focused, stay positive and determined and believe in God.

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Anyway, the Association of  Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap), in confirming a bright new trend that could boost the chances of PH boxers in the Olympics, pointed to the adoption of new rules and regulations by the international ruling body in boxing AIBA.

Abap executive director Ed Picson has expressed elation over rule adjustments that now favor competent, courageous combat, in place of the overly technical punch-and-run practice in previous international competitions.

Picson singled out Pacquiao’s sensational, compelling style of fighting (“lusob nang lusob”) that should be very helpful for Filipino Olympic medal hunters.

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Knowing Pacquiao, he would be more than glad to help and pass on pointers to young Filipino aspirants.

Of course, he could truly sweeten the pot, so to say, if he could invite his famous American trainer Freddie Roach to do the instructions, either here at home or in the United States.

Roach, in fact, wholeheartedly accomodated the late lawyer/sportsman Rudy Salud, who sponsored a boxing teach-in at the Rizal Memorial Stadium over a decade ago.

Roach was the main man who presided over the seminar and boxing clinic that drew a big attendance.

As they say, Roach is more Pinoy than other irresponsible local boxing officials, who couldn’t care less if poor Filipino boxers are savaged and cheated abroad.