SUPPORTING THE ATHLETES. Renowned Filipino athlete Elma Muros (3rd from right) visits Clark Parade Grounds in Pampanga on Thursday (Dec. 5, 2019) to lend support to Filipino athletes competing in the archery and rugby sevens events in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2019. Joining her during the visit are CDC - Communications Manager Noel Tulabut (third from left) and archery venue manager Myriam Punsalan (second from right). (Photo by Clark Development Corporation-Communications Division)
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga -- Renowned Filipino athlete Elma Muros on Thursday cited this Freeport as a suitable venue for the various competitions in the ongoing 30th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Lending support to Filipino athletes competing here, Muros, one of the most decorated athletes in SEA Games history and known as “The Long Jump Queen”, expressed elation over the facilities and atmosphere in here.
She marked her first visit to Clark cheering for Filipino athletes competing in archery and rugby sevens taking place at the Parade Grounds here.
“Unang–una ang ganda ng facilities, tahimik, organized. Perfect ito para sa akin at mga atleta. Ang galing (Foremost, the facilities are nice. It is peaceful and organized. This is perfect for me and to the athletes. It is great),” Muros said, describing her experience in the Freeport.
Clark is the official venue for the various competitions during the SEA games.
These include rugby sevens and archery at the Parade Grounds, softball and baseball at The Villages – Sports Complex, dancesport at Royce Hotel, petanque along M.A. Roxas Highway in Clark, and lawn bowl at Friendship Gate area.
Recalling her own SEA Games experience, she said athletes today are blessed by having all the facilities for their training and competition proper.
Muros also conveyed her appreciation for the unity shown by the Filipinos that guaranteed the successful hosting of the country for the biennial games. “Masaya na ako at nagtulong tulong ang sambayanang Pilipino kaya nairaos ito. From our President hanggang sa mga atleta at sambayanang Pilipino nagsamasama tayong lahat kaya nagyari ito. Pasalamatan natin lahat at sa Panginoong Diyos na nakaraos agad tayo (I am happy that the Filipino people helped each other. From our President up to the athletes and the Filipino people, we worked as one that is why this happened. Let us be thankful to all and God),” she said.
Muros, one of the most decorated athletes in track and field, likewise encouraged the competing athletes to give their best for the country.
"Do whatever they trained in one year, two years or how many years and this is it. Do it 100 percent for the nation, Whatever you got, be thankful. At least you did 100 percent for our nation. Good luck to everybody,” Muros said in Tagalog as her message to the athletes.
Karla Cabrera, one of the officials of the World Archery Philippines, also cited the Parade Grounds for being a very ideal location for the sport.
“I am just happy to say that this is a really excellent facility that was prepared. It’s world-class actually. And our field of play, it’s a very good field for international competitions. We can fit in all the targets that we need to and in fact, we can even put more because I understand it (Parade grounds) is a 22 hectares area. In the world championship, we had about 64 targets now we already have 56 in the field so just a little more and we could possibly hold world championships here,” Cabrera said. (PNA)
