Winning streak

In my last column, I wrote on the first runner-up finish of Western Visayas,in the process crowning themselves kings and queens of athletics in this year’s Palarong Pambansa. The Ilonggos also upset heavy favorite National University in volleyball, dethroning the three-time champion. Well,the winning streak didn’t stop there. Thedd Aldritz Geca Maglolot of Guimbal, Iloilo was declared champion on August 4 in the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Long Beach, California. The nine-year old Ilonggo also won the Grand Champion Vocalist in the junior division. Maglolot’s entry was Tom Jones “Delilah”. In 2005, Jed Madela of IloIlo City won the title of Grand Champion Vocalist in the World. The Philippines sent 106 performers in this year’s competition. Another amazing feat was the victory of the Philippines in  Juniors Softball. Bago City representing the country, defeated the East Region USA in the finals 3-0 to triumph in the 2023 Junior League Softball World Series in Washington, D.C, thus ending a 20-year-old drought. The last time the Philippines won in the Junior Softball League was in 2003.  Again, It was a team from Bacolod City that whipped Puerto Rico 2-0. Bago City defeated Arizona 4-0 in the quarterfinals and Texas also 4-0 in the semifinal. Erika Arnaiz threw a three-hitter to secure the victory. She dominated the game by retiring 15 batters she faces in the 12-14 Division Finals.  Aton gid Ini!

NBA’s Richest Contract

The Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown recently signed the largest contract in NBA history.  Brown will receive $304 million spread for five years, that’s $60,746.978 a year. Well, Brown is no ordinary player he is also intelligent, topping his class in high school at the University of California, Berkeley and can play the piano and guitar.  He was also in the chess varsity team at CAL.  He was the youngest person to lecture at Harvard and was also the youngest vice president of the NBA Players Association in 2016 at 22 years old.  But it won’t be long before Celtic superstar Jayson Tatum, who has two years to go with his $163,000,000, five-year contract, overtake Brown in the Boston roster.

Run in peace

World Masters Athletics (WMA) record holder David Carr 90, ran his final race when he died last month.  His  last competition  was in Torun, Poland where he received his award. Following his 90th birthday in June last year, Carr won 5 gold medals and set six M90 world records in WMA championships in Tampere, Finland.  His achievements are just amazing, setting at least 17 world age group records since 2007. Carr has won 30 gold, 9 silver and 4 bronze medals at WAVA/WMA Championships, annexing his first World medal at age 55 in Melbourne (1987) in the 800m. Hasta La Vista David Carr, Run In Peace (R.I.P).