LAOAG CITY—The search for the best athletes in the country is on.
In Ilocos Norte, at least three athletes are being nominated for the search for the third batch of Filipino sports legends to be inducted to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.
Ilocos Norte Sports Consultant Faivo Bartolome said Wednesday that the three Ilocano athletes — Jesson Cid, Eric Ang and Victorino Barba — may qualify for the title.
Born and raised in Dingras town, Cid is recognized as Southeast Asia’s best all-around athlete. At age 13, he was discovered as a valuable player in basketball and was eventually persuaded to try high jump until he became known in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines circles as the iron man of athletics. He competed in many events that the UAAP even changed its rules to limit the number of events an athlete could join.
Trap shooter Eric Ang of Laoag City is also an Olympian. He earned his ticket to the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a wildcard entry and placed 24th out of 94 best trap shooters worldwide. After Beijing, Ang placed seventh in the Trap Shooting World Cup in Germany, the highest finish for an Asian to date.
Meanwhile, Barba, an equestrienne and brother of Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo Barba is from San Nicolas town. He is known also for having won medals in the SEA Games and Asian Games.
“We are also looking at records of other athletes in the province who may probably be included on the list,” Bartolome added.
Earlier, the Philippine Sports Commission urged the Ilocos Norte Sports Development Council to submit its nominees for the search for Filipino sports legends.
The law mandates honoring the sacrifices and achievements of the country’s sports heroes.
Established in 1999, the Sports Hall of Fame aims “to immortalize the Filipino Sports heritage and serve as in inspiration for our countrymen.”
By law, candidates eligible for enshrinement shall be limited to Filipino athletes, coaches and trainers who “have won a gold medal in any Southeast Asian Games, or silver medalist in any Asian Games or Asian Games or regional games, or bronze medalist in any Olympic or World Games, or a world champion in any professional or amateur sports competition.” (Leilanie Adriano/PNA)
