Today is the day that Sheila Mae Perez gets her start in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Sheila Mae is a diver, the only female Olympic diver from the Philippines. Sheila Mae’s favorite event, the 3 Meter Springboard competition gets started today.
Sheila Mae is from Davao, and started diving at the age of 9. Her family lives in Sasa, which is a part of Davao right on the Gulf, as a matter of fact, it is where the major wharf is in Davao. Sheila Mae got started diving to collect scrap metal from the ships in the wharf, to make money for her poor family.
Here is a video from Reuters about Sheila Mae. Please be a little patient, as it can be slow to load, especially if your Internet Connection is not too speedy.
I have to say, I am really rooting for Sheila Mae. It is said that she has a shot at getting a medal in the Olympics this year. Many Filipinos are pinning their hopes on Sheila Mae to bring home the first ever Gold Medal for the Philippines, although such a possibility is only remote. If she were to win a Gold Medal, I know that I would be extremely happy for her, though!
Good luck, Sheila Mae!
UPDATE: Unfortunately, Sheila Mae finished the 3m Springboard event in 23rd place.
Hi Bob
The spirit of the Olympics is sportsmanship amd I think when a country who only has a few competitors wins medals it is more exciting.
Hi Bob!
GMA has promised 15 million Pesos to the first Philippine athlete to bring home a gold medal. That could help make someone even more patriotic. 🙂
Mark C.
Maayong buntag Bob
I love these rags to riches stories. It would be great to see Sheila Mae win the Gold. I admit I cheer more for the Philippines than the US, mainly because with so few athletes competing it is more exciting when they win
🙂
Hi Dan Mihaliak – The thing I like is for countries to win medals who don't have a huge, big money program for the athletes. I mean for countries like the USA and China (and others) it's like an industry. For countries like the Philippines you have poor people practicing by diving into the wharf area to get scrap metal to survive on! Now, that is amazing.
Hi Mark C. – Yes indeed. I think that only about 5 Million is actual government money, the rest has been put up by donors who wish to reward a Philippine athlete who can bring home a gold medal!
Hi Larry – I cheer for both the USA and the Philippines. Unfortunately, the chance for Philippine medals doesn't happen often, but hopefully they will get some medals to bring home from Beijing!
Go sheila Mae! Wow what a story! Thanks for enlightening on this Bob.
Hi John – No problem, John! I do hope that Sheila Mae does well!
Kumusta Bob,-There is something in me that always pull for the underdog to win especially if the odds are insurmountable.
This has been and will continue to be one of the greatest sporting events ever.Enjoy it for the enthusiasim and energy .A win for the underdog is a victory for many of us,for it is the underdog who cherishes the victory more than than opposite.
Remember,Cinderella was an underdog. GO SHEILA MAY!!!! 😆
this is an incredibly difficult event to medal. a top 10 placing would be an amazing accomplishment & a great start for the diving program. i wish her the best.
just to keep it in perspective, 2 rp swimmers recently competed & their performance was a considered a smashing success. they did not qualify for the medal race, far from it. but they broke the philippine swim records. so, it's all about baby steps & discipline to slowly reach top world standards.
but man, it would be awesome to see her medal. couldn't script a better ending.
a consistent, long term program is the main focus for each sport at the moment.
the philippine medal hopes are in boxing & taekwondo. the lone boxer just lost yesterday but the 2 jins have still yet to compete.
by the way, did you notice sheila mae speak fluently in tagalog? that's davao for you. no problems with either local dialect.
Thanks Bob for this great story – one of your comments above hit it square on the head "…The thing I like is for countries to win medals who don’t have a huge big money program for the athletes…."
Hi Julius – Like you, I tend to pull for the underdog in most cases. Right now, the 3m diving is underway, so far it is not looking good for Sheila Mae, though.
Hi macky – Yes, incremental improvements are needed, and medals will come down the road. We still have to hope, though! 😆
Hi Gary – Thanks for that!
Hello, Mr. Bob!
I really think the first Filipino athlete who wins this elusive Olympic gold medal deserves a statue erected in his or her honor. One of the most exciting (and breathtaking) Olympic moments for us, Filipinos, was when "Onyok" Velasco, Jr. fought against Bulgaria in the lightweight boxing finals in the 1996 Atlanta Games. Almost the whole nation (including myself, of course) was glued to the TV sets when Onyok fought. (Much like when Manny fights in the ring). Eventually, though, he settled for the Silver medal, 🙁 but he did fight a good fight and he was paraded still like a hero upon returning from the Games.
It was such a close victory!
American though you maybe, I'm sure your Filipino readers really appreciate and admire your support to Shiela Mae and the other Filipino athletes-and for that we thank you! And as we always say in Pilipino, "Tuloy ang Laban!" (Let's continue the fight—for Gold!)
Hi ProudPinoy, Jr. – the gold will come, but I'm afraid that I don't expect to see it in this Olympics.
Hi, Mr. Bob
Yes, sadly, another Olympic year passes by. We can only hope for the best. For our Pinoy athletes, I hope they will not be discouraged by not making it through. Competing in the Olympics and to represent their country is an honor enough. Cheers!
Hi ProudPinoy, Jr. – I agree, just going to the Olympics and representing your country is a big, big honor!
It doesn’t matter really that she didn’t finish in the medal category, I salute her and the relatively few others who went under the Philippine flag to do their best.
As Bob said a`few weeks ago it is pitiful to me how few Filipino athletes went forwrad to the Olympcs. Money is always the excuse, and a thousand reasons that ‘the government’ should have done more. Poppycock.
I’ve been living here nearly two years now in a busy metro area. Total publicity on line or on TV or at my gate from anyone raising funds for a athlete to go to Beijing. Total news items on TV and on the front page of the Manila papers about American athletes and the Olympics? Hundreds. To the Filipinos reading this … you are the _market_ for Filipino news media. Has anyone written so much as one letter to the editor or made their displeasure known? Aside from Manny Paquio and his fight _in the USA_ the Philippine media reports virtually nothing about ateletes from the Philippines. Sad.
Hi Dave Starr – It really will take a national effort to bring the Philippine contention into medal standing in future Olympics. Like you said, there does not seem to be much public support.