Thursday, January 24, 2008

SPORTS: Perez off to China for Beijing Olympics qualifying preparation





Rico Biliran/MindaNews
Friday, 04 January 2008 02:36
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/3 Jan) -- Davao City diving sensation Shiela Mae Perez will leave for China today to join her fellow Dabawenyo teammates in the Philippine national diving team for a six-week training in time for the World Cup slated February 19.
Perez, who won a gold and a silver in the 24th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Thailand, will join Dabawenyos Zandro Domenios, Ryan Fabriga, Nino Carog and Jaime Asok who arrived in China two days ago.

The China World Cup is a qualifying tournament for the August 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the top 36 making it to Olympics.

The 22-year-old lass is optimistic that she would qualify to the summer games. But she was quick to add, with a laugh: “If I won't qualify, I will take a vacation here in Davao.”

Perez had already showed her worth in the international scene. She made it to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and winning three gold medals during the 2005 SEAG in Manila.

Last month in Thailand, Perez, touted as Davao's wonder girl for her remarkable showing in the sport, won one gold medal. But she believes she won two.

A native of Barangay Sasa, she convincingly won the gold in the 3-m springboard and settled for silver in the controversial 1-m springboard.

“Wala tayong magagawa, e. Pero alam ng lahat na hindi ako natalo sa dive (referring to the 1-m springboard). Sa totoo lang, akin pa rin ang gold, sa judges ang silver,” she told sports journalist during the Davao Sportswriters Association Forum on Thursday.

She ruled the two events in the 2005 SEAG that was held in Trace College Aquatics Center in Los BaƱos, Laguna.

Perez has set her sight now on the upcoming qualifying rounds for the Beijing Olympics. Winning an Olympic gold is her long time dream.

"It's historic when you get the Olympic gold, especially if it's for your country. I want to have the honor of giving it to the Philippines," she said in http://firstfilipina.blogspot.com.

She appeared in the prestigious blog for being the First Filipina to win three gold medals in the 2005 SEAG. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)

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