EFFECTS OF RECESSION?

Pinoy Olympian Medalists
To Earn More Than U.S Tracksters

by ALEX P. Vidal

CHICAGO, Illinois — Filipino athletes stand to earn more cash incentives if they harvest medals in the 2012 London Olympics compared to what members of the United States track and field team will get for the same feat.

While the Philippine government, with the help of a giant telecom-munication company, has pledged to award cash prizes worth P12 million (about $232,800), P3 million (about $58,200) and P1 million ($19,400) for gold, silver and bronze medal winners, the United States Olympic Committee will give only $25,000 (about P1.175 million) for gold medalist, $15,000 (about P705,000) for silver medalist, and $10,000 (about P470,000) for bronze medalist in track and field.

However, USA Track & Field chief executive officer Doug Logan recommended paying additional $15,000 to those who will achieve personal bests at the Games and $5,000 to those who will hit their high mark of the season.

Logan wanted the United States track and field team to improve from the 23 medals it won in Beijing in August 2008 to 30 at the 2012 Games in London. The Associated Press quoted Logan: "We have to do more to support and cultivate our talent, but it is undoubtedly there."

Logan also recom-mended shortening the trials for the Games as ways of improving the team’s results after a disappointing effort in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This was his response to an unflattering 69-degree report issued last February by a panel that examined the federation’s problems after the United States won only seven gold medals in Beijing.

He said the failures in Beijing were not merely aberrations but were proof that validates "the unease felt by many" in American track and field.

Meanwhile, more windfalls await victorious Filipino athletes most particularly amateur boxers in international competitions aside from the World Summer Olympic Games.

These are: P2 million, P1 million and P500,000 for gold, silver and bronze medal winners respectively in the Asian Games; P1 million, P500,000 and P250,000 in World Championships; P300,000, P200,000 and P100,000 in the Southeast Asian Games and P30,000, P20,000 and P10,000 in minor international tournaments.

The Philippines, however, has not won any gold medal in the Games. The highest achievements of Filipino Olympians were the silver medals won by boxers Anthony Villanueva in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. /MP