Diaz, Saso, Didal show what women empowerment is all about – Mikee
EDDIE G. ALINEA
Unless the remaining Filipino male athletes come up with gold medal performances in the final day of hostilities on Saturday, the Philippine delegation will be heading home happy with a four-gold medal harvest—all courtesy of its female campaigners—in the 18th Asian Games, which ends on Sunday in Jakarta.
Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, golfer Yuka Saso and skateboards artist Margielyn Didal would’ve written history in the Philippines’ 67-year participation in the quadrennial conclave, which the country co-founded, by winning all or at least majority of the country’s gold haul never before seen since the Games’ founding in 1951.
Flyweight Rogen Ladon in boxing, paddlers Macaranas and Ojay Fuentes in canoeing, and triathletes Nikko Huelgas and John Chicano remained in contention for medals in their respective events on the final day of action Saturday, but even if they were able to score a sweep, the fact remains the country’s female athletes overshadowed their male counterparts in the 67th anniversary of Asia’s version of the Olympic Games.
Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, the last Filipina to win a gold in the Asian Games when she topped the individual show jumping event in equestrian in 2002 Asiad in Busan, South Korea and now the International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines, could not have been more proud with this development coming at a time when womanhood is under attack from even the highest government officials of the land themselves.
Cojuangco-Jaworski, daughter of former long-time Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco and wife of ex-PBA star Robert ‘Dodot’ Jaworski Jr., in several interviews with media men covering the Games, put premium on women’s significant role in citizen building.
“There are a lot of values that could be learned through sports, may it be friendship, excellence, fair play, discipline, or hard work. These are all traits that are necessary for us anyway whether we’re playing, working, or studying,” Mikee stressed.
“All of that can be learned through sports,” she explained. “If we in sports can be a good example to society, then I think we would have done our part already in nation-building. “I don’t think there are really enough words to express the pride, as a woman, that all our gold medal came from our female athletes.”
“We’ve been saying gender equality, it’s also hard din naman. It’s kind of reverse discrimination,” she said. “But at the same time, there has been really an improvement in the participation ratio of men versus women, and I’m so grateful that our women athletes have shown that this is really the right way to go.”
The stunning, statuesque daughter in-law of basketball’s living legend Robert Jaworski compared Diaz and company’s triumphs with her own golden moment in 2002 coming on the final day of the Asiad, and at the expense of “some of the world’s finest riders.”
“Sometimes, when it’s unexpected, that’s when it happens,” said Cojuangco-Jaworski, who turned heads during the opening ceremonies when she was spotted cheering for the Philippine delegation waving the national colors at the VIP box of Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, said.
“And I think I know that more than anybody else because it happened to me,” she added. “It’s really a matter of being the best that we can be when it matters most. And every athlete comes in with the skills that they have worked hard to achieve, and really winning is about being the best on that day.”
As proud as she is of the Filipina athletes, Cojuangco-Jaworski expressed hopes that our male athletes will also come through with gold medals for the country, saying joking, “Kawawa naman, hindi natin pinapansin ang boys.”
“But we are proud of all of our athletes, especially those who are really taking to heart yung responsibility nila,” she pointed out. “They try to really represent our country to the best they can be. Competing for your country is not a right, it’s a privilege, and it’s a huge opportunity, and we have to take that seriously.”
Going back to gender equality, Cojuangco-Jaworski said, “I come from a sport where there is no such thing as a man or woman. We have always competed against each other. I have learned and realized that when we talk about gender equality, it does not mean that what women and men do must be the same.”
“We’re very unique. There are things that women can do that men can’t and vice versa. Instead of trying to pit men and women against each other, we need to improve on all of our strengths, then everyone will be better for it.”
Cojuangco-Jaworski added that it’s important for young girls to have strong women to look up to and the gold medalists can help inspire the younger generation to break their own barriers.
“My coaches have always been women. My mom has always told me that everything in life is an adventure and there are not adventures that do not have their trials. My sister who was also a national athlete before, she encouraged me to dream and believe that I can be an Asian Games athlete,” she added.
“All of these women who have shown their strength, not just physical but inner strength, have been great examples to me as a woman.”
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