How I won my gold medal in the 3rd Asian Games

Title

Creator

Calibo, Peter

Language

English

Year

1958

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

The author is seated (middle, front row) with a class of judo students at the Manila KC Coun cil. gymnasium. He was judo gold medal winner in the III Asian. Games this year. How I Won My Gold Medal in the 3rd Asian Games By PETER CALIBO TEN years ago, when I first developed * an interest in the sport of judo, the thought that one day I would participate in an Asian Games tournament and win a gold medal for my country would have appeared utterly fantastic. Like many other judo enthusiasts, the idea of enjoying a sport which could be used for self-defense when needed appealed to me and I was fortunate to have ais my instructors Mr. George Abelardo, 2nd Dan Black Belt, (till he left for the States in 1955) and later Mr. Yuichi Hirose, 6th Dan, two of the best instructors available in Ma nila at the time. To these two gentlemen must go the credit for whatever 'achieve ment I have attained through their patient and careful instructions. My first participation in a judo tourna ment was in August 1955, when an open judo tournament was held at the Philip pine Judo Club and I was awarded the medal for good form and technique. In February 1956, I passed the examin ation for 1st Dan Black .Belt given by the Philippine Amateur Judo Association. At this time, the Filipino judo players here were very fortunate in having with them Mr. Hirose, 6th Dan Black Belt, who was giving judo instructions to all interested players. Mr. Hirose.is an engineer and a businessman from Japan, who was giving up his spare time to judo because of his great interest and love of this sport. In order to propagate judo, the Knights Judo Club was organized and has been slowly but steadily gaining popularity, with one of its members having been promoted to 1st Dan Black Belt and four others to Brown Belt. By early 1958, I had obtained my 2nd Dan and was selected as one of the 7-men team for the III Asian Games. We left for Tokyo a few days before the tournament and found the climate there cool and fresh. Ambassador Neri and Prince Akihito each gave a garden party which we attended. The Judo tournament was held on the (Continued on page.18) THE CROSS THE RURAL .. ..(Continued from page 11) Farmers’ Aid Association was propitiously organized by Manila Council 1000 in 1951 to extend practical assistance to small farm ers and tenants throughout the country. The CFAA, as envisioned by the organizers, would help to erase the ignorance of the farmers, so that they could better resist the onslaughts of red propaganda. The associa tion would also promote social justice and implement Catholic social doctrines with a program that would redound to the material benefit of the barrio people. Specifically, the objectives of the associa tion set down by the organizers are as fol lows: 1. To take such steps as the circumstan ces may require to further promote the gen eral welfare of the Filipino farmers and tenants. 2. To help elevate the condition of the farmers and tenants throughout the country by increasing their crop yields through ins truction and the proper use of fertilizers, lime, treatment of soil, the adoption of mo dern methods of farming, the use of irriga tion and diversification of crops. 3. To solicit and receive donations of real and personal property for the purpose of carrying out the objectives of the associaHOW I WON... (Continued from page 8) afternoon of May 25, 1958, and there were many prominent people among the spectatators, one of them being Prince Akihito. The pairings for the tournament were carefully made to provide a good match. All foreigners — Filipinos, Chinese and Ko reans — were given Japanese opponents of the same weight class and grade, each win ner to be awarded the Asian Games gold . medal. The results for the Filipinos were as fol lows: — Eduardo Ignacio and I defeated our Japanese opponents. Frank Robles fought his opponent to a draw. Ramon Mon tes, Chito Gavieres, Ramon Padre and Cri santo Quindoy, Jr., lost. I was able to counter one of my opponent’s attacks and pin him for the required time when he fell on his back. Mr. Hirose, our coach and ins tructor, remarked later that I shortened his his life by five years when my struggling opponent almost escaped from my hold! The general consensus of opinion among the Japanese players was that we had put up a good showing. They appreciated our aggressiveness and the way we played judo. After the tournament, the foreign judo players were entertained at a dinner recep 18 tion; and generally to do and peifoim all acts ’and things reasonably necessary and proper for the carrying out of these pur poses. After its initial success, the CFAA ceas ed to be a local group sponsored by Manila Council 1000. It was incorporated and made a national auxiliary organization of the Knights of Columbus in the Philippines. The association is ably headed by Sen ator Oscar Ledesma, who was recently re elected as -president for the eighth term. Senator Ledesma is chaiman of the Sen ate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. This committee is presently gathering data on how the government can better develop the country agriculturally with the cooperation of the people them selves. Following an established practice where the CFAA coordinates its activities with those of government and other agen cies engaged in rural amelioration work. Senator Ledesma has asked the help of the Knights through the CFAA to help his Committee gather information. The CFAA offers a vast field of opportu nity for service to our rural masses. It is hoped that all KC councils, which have not yet done so, will lend their cooperation soon gv adopting the CFAA as a project. tion given by Mr. Risei Kano, president of the Kodokan Judo Institute. Through the influence of our coach, Mr. Hirose, who stood high in the good graces of the Kodo kan, we were very well received at the Ko dokan and given special coaching every af ternoon during our stay. Their best instructors were assigned to answer any questions we had and also ins tructed us in the latest techniques of sportjudo and of self-defense. It was not all work and study, however, for they also took us on sight-seeing tours, invited us to dinner parties and made certain that we returned to Manila laden with gifts and souvenirs. Our short stay in Tokyo had been an enjoyable and memorable one. From my observation of judo, I believe that this is a sport ideally suited for our people. It promotes mental alertness as well as physical development and a keen spirit of sportsmanship. With serious train ing and study, there is no reason why we should not rank among the champions of this game not too many years from now. It was an honor for me to win a gold me dal for the Philippines and I felt especially glad that in this field the Knights of Co lumbus had also been represented. THE CROSS

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