Sydney
Olympics
Filipino BoxersWhen they're not boxing
By JAIME K
PIMENTEL
 |
| Philippine Olympic boxing team arrived at their new base
in Sydney. At extreme left is Dido Bohol, a representative of the Cabanela Boxing
Brotherhood which helped find accommodation. |
Sydney,
August 12. PROPER planning, perfect timing and
a stroke of good luck have provided the Philippine Olympic boxing team ideal
accommodation.
No. 13 Settlers Avenue, Liberty Grove, was manna from
heaven especially at a time so close to the Olympic Games when rental accommodation is
scarce and rents are sky high.
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president
Manny Lopez began pounding the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, close to the Olympic Games
village, immediately on his arrival in May.
After Lopez had inspected several homes and villas, a young
real estate agent said:
"Wait a minute, I think we've got something to suit
your team."
Liberty Grove
As soon as Lopez drove into the new suburb, he knew he had
found the team's headquarters in the Olympic city.
It had two floors, three bathrooms and toilets, three
full-sized bedrooms, dining room, open-plan kitchen, large living room, small backyard and
front yard, covered carport and a driveway.
A station for trains to downtown Sydney was a five-minute
walk away.
What made the place even more suitable to the boxing team
was its position in front of the suburb's main park, where the boxers could take their
early morning jogs.
But there was more: Liberty Grove is a tiny suburb with its
own fully equipped gymnasium, sauna, Olympic size heated swimming pool, basketball court
and tennis court.
Cabanela Boxing Brotherhood
Then there was the Cabanela Boxing Brotherhood, a
Sydney-based band of boxing followers who assist boxers in time of need.
The Brotherhood helped provide basketballs, a chess board,
DC player, punching bag, winter gloves and other needs such as transport when required.
It also helped organise the team's sparring sessions at
different gymnasiums across Sydney.
Towards Olympic Games glory
There is little doubt that Lopez' initiative to come down
to Sydney before the team to find accommodation has continued to pay dividends.
The team quickly settled well and comfortably in their new
surroundings, able to concentrate on preparing for that final burst towards Olympic Games
glory.
 Jaime K. Pimentel is
a Sydney-based journalist and sub-editor with Fairfax Ltd. He has a bachelor's degree in
Journalism from Ateneo and a master's degree in Advertising and Newspaper Management from
Northwestern University (Chicago). He was previously a lecturer in Journalism at San Beda
and UST. Jimmy is also a scriptwriter and producer of Dramatic Philippines.
He loves and practices the sports he writes about. He was a boxing gold medallist during
his Ateneo days, an official of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines as a
referee and judge, and an Ateneo instructor in P.E. (boxing and swimming). In Australia,
he was also an amateur boxing referee. emanila team |
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