50. Welterweight Boxer MANFREDO ALIPALA, Lone Gold at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad

The 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta were the first to be held in the new 1960s decade from Aug. 24 to Sep. 4, 1962. Even with Japan wresting the boxing championship from the Philippines  in the last 1958 Tokyo Games, hopes were fresh for the 6 young Filipino boxers to deliver more medals.

Leading the charge was a Far Eastern University standout student boxer, MANFREDO Panes ALIPALA (b.  25 Oct. 1938) of Murcia, Negros Occidental, son of Moises Alipala, the municipal chief of police, and Consuelo Panes, school principal of Murcia Elementary School.

“Noning”, as he was called, grew up in Bacolod, and attended the West Negros College. He then went to Manila to pursue his higher education at the Far Eastern University, to take up a Business Administration course. The university was known for its excellent amateur boxing program so the athletic freshman joined the team and proved to be an excellent student, amassing wins in major interscholastic meets.

This led to Manfredo being sent as the FEU entry to the national open boxing championship. The 5’8” student athlete ruled his welterweight class (67 kg.) , which gave him a slot in the Philippine boxing team that went to Indonesia for the 1962 Asiad.

The boxing matches were held at the the Senayan Tennis Stadium in the last weeks of August. Alipala breezed through the rounds of 16, then made it to the  quarterfinals, and all the way to the semifinals.

Now, the only boxer standing in the way of a Gold Medal was the formidable Japanese opponent, Kichijiro Hamada, 4 years his junior and inches taller. But the tough Alipala held his ground and, at the end of the 3 rounds, was announced as the winner. He had secured the one and only boxing Gold for the Philippines in the 1962 Jakarta Games—one of only 7 that year--with the Silver going to Hamadas, and the Bronze, shared by Korea’s Choi Song-keun with Singto Jamjitman of Thailand.

 Incidentally, three team mates, bantamweight Jose Ramirez, featherweight Egino Grafia and lightweight Catalino Arpon contributed 3 Bronze Medals to the Philippine harvest.

Two years later, Manfred Alipala was at the head of the Philippine Olympic delegation proudly bearing the  country’s flag during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics parade of nations at the opening ceremonies. Joining him in the boxing campaign were Dominador Calumarde (flyweight), Arnulfo Torrevillas (bantamweight), Anthony Villanueva (featherweight), Rodolfo Arpon (lightweight), and Felix Ocampo (light-middleweight), with their able coach, Celestino “Aling” Enriquez.

 When the boxing preliminary matches commenced, Alipala subdued Iraq’s Al-Kharki Khalid. In the round of 16, he suffered a surprise defeat in the hands of Kichijiro Hamada, the same boxer whom he had conquered in Jakarta 2 years earlier. Despite this setback,  Anthony Villanueva saved the day for the boxers by winning a historic Silver.

A year after the Olympics, Alipala turned pro, fighting matches against Filipino boxing greats like  Eduardo Canete, Fil Ravalo and Phil Robinson. In the late 60s, he chased Oriental and World titles in the welterweight and middleweight class against boxers in the region like Korea’s Ki-Soo Kim and Hawaii’s Takeshi Fujii. He finished his professional career with a modest record of 3 Wins (1 by a knockout) and 8 losses.

About his personal life, Alipala was first married to Corazon N. Villanueva (d.2012), sister of Olympic silver medalist Anthony Villanueva, and his 1964 Tokyo team mate. Together, they had 4 children: Mariela, Manfriela, Manfredo Jr, and Mancor Alipala. After the couple's separation, he married Sebastiana Taguines and moved to Tarlac. This union produced Manbie, Marinette and Mylove Alipala.

Post-Olympics, Alipala held a few security jobs to provide for his growing family. After retirement, Alipala was taken in by the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Mel Lopez, as a consultant. He and his family settled in barangay San Roque, in Tarlac City, Tarlac.

“My father lived a simple life, and  shied away from the limelight”, recalls daughter Manfriela.  “He was a nice person to everyone, especially to his friends in Bacolod.” At age 68,  boxing great Manfredo Alipala quietly died in his sleep, 8 Oct. 2006, and was interred at the Garden of Peace Memorial Park in nearby barangay Sapang Maragul.

SOURCES:

Information and pictures, courtesy of Manfriela Junet Alipala, daughter of Manfredo Alipala.

Alipala, Asiad gold medalist, dies at 68.(Sports News)(Obituary)Manila Bulletin, October 19, 2006 | Copyright

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfredo_Alipala

43. PH Olympian HEDY GARCIA: The Teenage Girl Who Swam Across the Laguna Lake

The day after Christmas in 1965, a long-distance swimming competition was organized by Dr. Clodualdo Manas, manager of the Nonino Swimming Club of Laguna, involving crossing the Laguna Lake. From the starting point of barrio Pipindan,  Binangonan, to the coastline of barrio Cuyab in San Pedro Laguna, the total distance was about 18 kilometers.

Dubbed as Swimathon 1965, the local challenge was reminiscent of the English Channel swim contest where athletes swam across the Channel unaided by an escort. The event attracted 22 participants—from former Olympians to a 10-year-old boy swimmer. The race started on the Pipindan shore at 7:30 a.m. on a clear Dec.26 morning, after the water temperature was checked.

By 12:30 p.m. 16 of the original 22 starters had given up, including 10 year old Noli Manas, fished out from the water by a motorboat. The remaining swimmers plodded on, stroke after stroke.

First to make it to the finish line after five hours and five minutes was high school student Loreto Garcia, a UAAP champion swimmer from Far Eastern University, with a time of 5 hours, 5.5 minutes . But what caught the crowd’s attention was the second placer—15-year-old high school girl,  Hedvig “Hedy” Garcia, who timed in at 5 hours, 40 minutes and 8 seconds.

So impressive was her time that Hedy trounced two former male Olympians: Bana Sailani, who failed to finish, and the Tokyo Olympian Rolando Landrito of the Philippine Air Force (6:17.0 hrs.). She was also way ahead of 31 year old long distance swimmer Ricardo Cuenca (5:43.2 hrs.) who would set an endurance record of 47 hrs. swimming from Nasugbu to Manila Bay in 1969.

Hedy. who stands only 5 feet 2.5 inches tall, was an amateur swimmer from Far Eastern University. She was born on 8 Feb. 1950 in Pakil, to a sports-loving family. Her fantastic Laguna feat was just part of her intensive training that led her to improve her times---and a slot in the Philippine swimming team. Less than a year later, she was sent to the 1966 Asian Games from Bangkok, and won a team Silver, by placing second in the 4 x 100 m. Medley relay swim team that included Rosalina Abreu, Helen Elliott, and Gertrudes Lozada.

By the time the Olympic year came along, Hedy was the holder of 8 Philippine bests in 100 m., 200 m. backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly records, The breaststroke and the individual medley became her specialties.  

She went on to qualify for a place in the Philippine Olympic swimming team--the youngest member at 18-- that competed in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. The talented swimmer swam in four events: 100 m. free (7th in her heat), 200 m. breaststroke (4th), and both the 200 m. (3rd)  and 400 m. individual medley (7th).

Hedy made it as well to her 2^nd Asian Games, and returned to Bangkok, Thailand in 1970 to claim a team Bronze Medal in the 4 x 100 m. Medley relay event, along with Luz Arzaga, Susan Papa, and Luz Laciste.

 After retiring from competitive swimming, Hedy turned to coaching, mentoring the University of the Philippines Women’s Varsity Swimming Team from 1978-1984. She continues to live in her hometown of Pakil, Laguna.

SOURCES:

Benjamin Afuang, Photos by Ben Santos, “The Long Swim Across Laguna Lake”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 9 January 1966 issue, 24-27.

Olympedia, https://www.olympedia.org/lists/114/manual?page=6

Philippines at the 1966 Asian Games, Wikimedia.com

Philippines at the 1970 Asian Games, Wikimedia.com

34. RP’s New Ring Hero, ANTHONY VILLANUEVA, HE VOWED TO BREAK HIS FATHER’S RECORD

by Felix Caliwag, The Sunday Times Magazine, 8 November 1964, pp. 18-21

When 19-year-old ANTHONY VILLANUEVA capped the only silver medal won by his country since the Philippines participated in the Olympics in 1924, no man was more proud than his father, Jose “Cely” Villanueva. In fact, he was so proud, he cried.

But not many people know that Cely started off his son with elercises when he was a baby, At the age of 4, Anthony was already in the ring, mixing it up with another tot in an exhibition bout.

 Jose “Cely” Villanueva was in tears when he showed The Sunday Times Magazine a telegram which was sent to him by Anthony after he had won the silver medal, in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. The wire read, “Sorry, Itay, I already broke your record.”

To father and son, this simple communication has a lot of meaning. Cely recounted that in 1952, during a PAAF award night, he showed “Boy” (that’s how father calls son Anthony), who was barely 7 years old then, a plaque which was given to him as a world’s Olympic bronze medalist. “I distinctly remember this is what I told Boy, in Tagalog: “This record has not been broken in the Philippines.”

According to Cely, Boy readily answered: “Itay, I’ll break that record.”

“Just imagine,” Cely continued, “my own son breaking my Olympic record. Is this not a remarkable father-and-son-affair? I must confess that when I heard the news that Boy had won the silver medal, I was so overwhelmed I could hardly eat for three days.

“But, do you know that fate seems to have a pattern for Boy and me. I was born on March 19. And Boy was born a day ahead, March 18. I won a bronze medal in the bantamweight division and Boy won a silver medal in the featherweight division which is a rung higher.”

Because of Anthony’s victory, Cely said he has proven that his son’s boxing method is superior. Cely was reminded, however, that so far, no one disputed the fact that he is the dean of Filipino boxing trainers and that he has proven it through Elorde’s successful bouts and the many pugilists he has trained to become champions.

 “So many of our so-called boxing experts got for the slugger type. Not since my time has any of these sluggers won any medal in an Olympics. They were all defeated, They say I am a stylist. Well, Boy is a stylist, too. Sugar Ray Robinson, whose record in the annals of boxing has yet to be broken, is another super-stylist. At least we have proven something.”

What particular style has Boy adopted?

“Boy is an all-around performer, He can box, slug, counter punch, and defend. Boys is also adept at combination punches with both mitts. He is a body puncher but he himself is durable. In short, he is the ideal boxer who can give and take punches.”

At what age did Boy actually start boxing?

“I think he was a little over 3 years when he first dinned his boxing gloves. I was then instructor at the Manila Police Department. A certain sports goods store donated uniforms and fighting shoes. Instead of these donations, I convinced the donor to give me boxing gloves for kids. When I reached hme to present a pair of boxing gloves to Boy, he was so overjoyed that he kissed me several times and kept on jumping.

Since then, according to Cely, Boy showed a very special interest in boxing. He kept his boxing gloves in a box and he saw to it that they were always clean.

"In 1948, a fire broke out in our neighborhoods in Felix Huertas and naturally we were all rushing to take our belongings out of the house. But, do you known that Boy’s first impulse was to save only his boxing gloves?

“I realized then that even at that early age, Boy already demonstrated his deep concern for boxing. In the years that followed, I tried to convince Boy to discontinue his interest in boxing as I explained to him that is a thankless and rough sport. But Boy was simply adamant. He has will power, you know.”

The Olympic bronze medalist said his son is the calm type. “While it is true he is not temperamental, it is, however fair warning that he should not be provoked.”

Cely related an incident in which Boy boxed a playmate almost twice his age. “Boy, who was barely 4 years, was drawing something on the cement. After he finished his drawing, a boy, who was twice his age, erased his drawing. Anthony warned him twice and when the playmate refused to heed his warning the third time, Anthony hit him straight on the jaw. The playmate cried and complained to his father. But when the father saw it was only Anthony who was half his son’s age, he laughed aloud.”

This sort of thing, Cely said, was repeated on several occasions when Anthony was provoked. But as a rule, “Boy is very forgiving. He loves his plamates and he always treats them to a blow-out. They call him the little Santa Claus.”

Who is Anthony’s favorite boxer?

“Boy has great admiration for Elorde but he idolizes Cely Villanueva,” was Cely’s laconic answer.

The greatest Filipino Olympian to date received this special advice from his father: “Son, always be humble in victory or defeat.”

“It must be told,” Cely says, “there would not be an Anthony Villanueva without my friend Tom Ortega, our dean of physical culture.

“I am always grateful to Tom who saved me from certain death. It was Tom who sacrificed time and effort to help me recover from my failing health. That was before Boy was even born. I was desperate and bed-ridden. Tom gave me his personal attention. He supervised my training until I was pronounced fit to work. Inagaw ni Tom ang buhay ko sa tiyak na kamatayan at ito ay niloob ng Diyos marahil upang ibigay sa atin si Anthony.

“A few weeks after Boy was born, Tom also showed special interest in him.. He gave him baby exercises. It’s quite amazing but in nine months time, Boy was able to walk already to the Systomor gym at Dasmariñas, A foreigner who happened to take his photo was surprised to learn that Boy was only nine months old.”

Does Cely have a special diet for Anthony?

“Boy takes a very light breakfast. He takes tea or coffee and two soft-boiled eggs. But he takes his lunch at exactly 11 a.m. His lunch consists of hot fish and green vegetable salads. His supper when he has to eat well consists of steak.”

Cely pointed out that during the Olympic qualifying tournament, it was he who trained Anthony. “They tried to turn him into a slugger but I told Boy to sick to what I had taught him. Boy is very obedient. If he hears my whistle at night, he immediately goes to bed.

“Boy is also deeply religious. He collects religious objects. In his wallet, he has many estampitas. I also told him that “man propose, God disposes!”

That was Cely Villanueva speaking, about a son who may one day become a world champion.

SOURCE:

The Sunday Times Magazine, 8 November 1964, pp.18-21

Photos by Marcelino Roxas

33. Teen Boxer ANTHONY N. VILLANUEVA, The Country’s 1st Olympic Silver Medalist, 1964

The 19 year old boxer who became a household name in 1964 with his unprecedented and historic triumph at the Tokyo Olympics was born Anthony N. Villanueva (b. 18 March 1945)  to parents Flora Narvaez and Jose “Cely” Villanueva, an Olympian bronze medalist in bantamweight boxing at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

 His pugilist father influenced his interest in boxing. As a 5 year old, his father gifted him with small barbells and boxing gloves which became Anthony’s favorite “toys”. At age 17, the clean-cut Villanueva enrolled at the Far Eastern University which had an outstanding college boxing program. Boxing aficionado and businessman Eugenio Puyat saw his potential and supported him, such that by 1962, at age 17, the teen became a national sensation when he won the Bantamweight title at the National Open Championships. 

This led to his being drafted to the national boxing pool, and 2 years later, he qualified as part of the Philippine boxing squad to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics along with welterweight Manfredo Alipala, flyweight Dominador Calumarde, bantamweight Arnulfo Torrevillas, lightweight Rodolfo Arpon and light middleweight Felix Ocampo, under coach Aling Enriquez.

It was an exciting time for the young Villanueva as he embarked on his quest for Olympic boxing gold. He was just 19, the same age as his father when he had won his bantamweight bronze in Los Angeles, 32 years earlier. Before he left, Anthony vowed to break his father’s 3^rd place finish which had remained unbroken for more than 2 decades.

Almost golden.

The 40-man Philippine delegation prepared for action as shortly after the games opened on 10 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan—the first Olympics to be held in Asia. The Boxing events went underway on October 13 at the Kora Kuen Ice Palace with 32 boxers in the featherweight division, from 32 countries. Villanueva won his opening bout against Italy’s Giovanni Girgenti on points, and moved on to dispose of Tunisia’s Tasser Ben Hasssen 4-1, but wounding his right eyebrow in the process.

The Quarterfinals round saw him flooring Poland’s Pyotr Gutman thrice, winning the bout by RSC ( Referee Stops Contest). In what everybody thought was to be a tough Semifinal round against the much-heralded George Brown of the U.S., Villanueva—despite fighting with cut brows—defeated the favorite with a 4-1 upset decision. Villanueva thus guaranteed himself a silver medal, thus fulfilling his fearless prediction of surpassing his father’s feat.

Of that very controversial Finals against Russia’s Stanislav Stepashkin held on Oct. 23, reporter Hal Drake of the U.S. paper ‘Stars and Stripes’ recounts: “He (Villanueva) was rated little chance in his bout with Stepashkin, who has shoulders like a medieval axman and a punch like a thrown brick. The Russian had easily disposed of every opponent.

At the bell, Villanueva rushed Stepashkin and reddened his nose with a beautiful series of stabbing rights. He hooked the right twice and made Stepashkin hold. He brought fans to their feet by staggering the Soviet boxer with a left to the head.

In the second round the two mixed it up in close, with hooks. In one flurry, the bandage came off Villanueva's eye in a smear of blood and the claret gushed from his nose. But that right was arcing over and still landing; Stepashkin was getting one, and sometimes more, for everyone he landed.

Villanueva's opponent must have been a hazy figure in a red blur during the final round, but he still met the Russian punch for punch. The blood covered all of Villanueva's face and streaked his opponent's arms after clinches. But the Russian finished that last round with his left eye cut, his right eye: half closed, his nose and one ear streaming blood. “

But when the judges’ scores were announced, the audience were in disbelief. The Italian judge Aniello, Khalife of Lebanon and Vuellaty of Tunisia scored it for the Russian while Maghraby of Egypt had it 59-58 for Villanueva and Nussgen of Germany saw it even at 59-all. A roar of protest went up when British referee R.H. Gittins raised Stepashkin's hand, with the 3-1-1 verdict.

Nat Fleischer, founder/editor of Ring Magazine said, “I have seen highway robbery before but not anything as bare-faced as this.”.  Peter Wilson of the London Daily News could only agree, called it “one of the worst decisions I have seen in the Olympics.” Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, who was at the ringside in Tokyo, recalled, “He won convincingly. The editor of Ring Magazine who was in front of us, was already congratulating us. But when the decision was announced, there was a howl.”

The crowd of 7,000 chanted Villanueva’s name to show their support for the big-hearted Filipino boxer who fought to the finish. It was said that fans jeered as the Soviet national anthem was played, while Villanueva shed tears.

Homecoming and silver linings

Nevertheless, Villanueva came home to a hero’s welcome—for achieving the highest-placed finish for a Filipino athlete in Philippine Olympic history. He was mobbed by people at his motorcade that crowded the Pasay-Manila-Quezon route. His school honored him with a Tamaraw Gold Medallion given by then Far Eastern University Vice-President Alfredo M. Reyes.

With his schoolboy looks, Villanueva was squired by movie producers, which he accepted on the prodding of his father. He starred in at least 5 action movies, including the boxing-inspired “Pamatay: Kaliwa't Kanan” (1964)  with Nida Blanca, for which he was paid a whopping Php 100,000. He also starred in “The Salonga Brothers” (1965) with Joseph Estrada, "Fighting Fists" (1971) with Roberto Gonzales, and "Ang Berdugo at ang Kamao." Later, his professional fees dwindled from between P2,000 to P7,000 per film.

Advertisers also sought out the acclaimed star major boxer, who signed up with two clients. 1966,Villanueva did an ad for La Tondeña Natural Rum. He also appeared in a Terylene fabric ad that was part of a campaign series featuring active men in heroic James Bond-like roles, attired in dashing, but durable Terylene suits.

As he lost his amateur status due to his lucrative acting career, Villanueva turned professional in 1965, debuting in a fund-raising event called “Fiesta Fistiana” at the Araneta Coliseum, matched against the Japanese, Shigeo Nirasawa. He would hang his boxing gloves after only 5 luster-less bouts, which ended in 1 win, 3 losses and 1 no-contest. His last fight was in 1975, against Australian Ross Eadie, which he lost via TKO.

Forsaken dreams, forgotten champion.

When his boxing and acting days were over, Villanueva became a boxing coach much like his father, until 1976, when he decided to go find his future in the U.S. By then, he was married with 2 kids, Avery (named after International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage) and Agatha. There, he took on a variety of jobs—as a Mexican restaurant cook, and as a security guard at a Staten Island hospital and at the Philippine Consulate in New York. 

A 1988 coaching stint in the Philippines proved unproductive, so he returned to the U.S. after failing to find a stable job. He would father another son, Jose Giovanni with his  second wife in 1996. A short while later, Villanueva permanently come home to the Philippines to stay with his third partner Liezel Beldia  with whom he shares son Joey Rembrandt. They took up residence in Kamuning, Quezon City,

Beginning in 1999, he suffered a series of strokes that left him incapacitated. He had hoped to return to the U.S. to fix his citizenship papers and then set up a gym business. To help defray the cost of his hospitalization, he offered his Olympic Medal for sale for 1 million pesos. Bedridden, he died in his sleep, penniless and almost forgotten  on 13 May 2014, in Cabuyao, Laguna, at age 69. Manny Pacquiao hailed him as  "original Filipino boxing icon who should never be forgotten by the nation."

Anthony N. Villanueva lived to see himself inducted in the Philippines Sports Hall of Fame for bringing the first historic Olympic silver for the country. It would take Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco another 32 years to duplicate his silver medal feat at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when he placed 2^nd behind Bulgarias' Daniel Petrov, in the light-flyweight division.

SOURCES:

“He vowed to break his father’s record, “ Sunday Times Magazine, 8 November, 1964,

“Golden reception for a silver medalist,” Sunday Times Magazine”, 15 November 1964, p. 28

Anthony N. Villanueva, wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Villanueva

Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Tokyo 1964 : the official report of the Organizing Committee, LA Digital Library, https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/27912/

Hal Drake, Frazier chases German for boxing gold, Stars and Stripes, Oct. 25, 1964 medal, https://www.stripes.com/news/1964-10-25/frazier-chases-german-for-boxing-gold-medal-1894367.html1

Joaquin Henson, “Villanueva selling Olympic Medal for 1 Million”, Philippine Star, 6 January 2000,  https://www.philstar.com/sports/2000/01/06/97733/villanueva-selling-olympic-medal-p1-million

Joaquin Henson, “Forgotten hero at death’s door”. The Philippine Star , 11 May 2014,https://www.philstar.com/sports/2014/05/11/1321865/forgotten-hero-deaths-door

Joaquin Henson, “Olympic hero interred today”, Philboxing.com, 18 May 2014, http://m.philboxing.com/news/story-95534.html

ABS-CBN, ‘Villanueva’s death puts spotlight on poor, retired athletes”, https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/15/14/villanuevas-death-puts-spotlight-poor-retired-athletes

Movie Poster, “Sports Heroes Turned Movie Stars, Video 48, https://video48.blogspot.com/2007/02/sports-heroes-turned-movie-stars-1.html

Far Eastern University FB page, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=987760150052219&id=100064547295619&set=a.631930875635150&locale=ko_KR

 Isa Munang Patalastas, blogspot. "Is That Who I think He Is?: Anthony Villanueva for La Tondena Rum and Terylene. isamunangpatalastas.blogspot.com

10. LOLITA R. LAGROSAS: The Philippines’ All-Around Iron Woman (active 1958-1970)

Before Elma Muros, no other female athlete was as well-rounded as LOLITA R. LAGROSAS  whose track career spanned over two decades, involving three major sports disciplines—High Jump, Broad Jump (now Long Jump) and Pentathlon.  On the side, she even played Basketball for the National Women’s Team!

Born in Naawan, Misamis Oriental on 24 August 1938,  her versatile athletic skills in provincial meets—she was an excellent jumper, hurdler, sprinter and thrower-- paved the way for her relocation to Manila, where Far Eastern University gave her a scholarship.

In her prime, the five foot four and a half, 113 lb.  Lagrosas went through 5 hours of training every day. This served her very well indeed, as she gained attention when, at age 20, she snagged a Silver in her favorite favorite High Jump at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad, behind the Japanese entry.

In 1965, right after winning Gold for High Jump and Long Jump at the National Open at Roxas City, she went to Taipei and copped 3 Gold Medals in her 3 events, and was adjudged “Most Outstanding Athlete” in the Nationalist China-Philippines dual meet. A few days after returning to Manila, Lagrosas had to fly back to Taipei to serve as a guard to the Philippine basketball team at the Asian basketball championship.

In the next Asian Games she appeared in, she earned 2 more medals for High Jump: 1966 Bangkok (Silver) and 1970 Bangkok (Bronze). Also at the 1966 and 1970 Bangkok Asiads, this Filipina Iron Woman won a pair of Bronzes in Pentathlon, the counterpart of the Men’s Decathlon, which involved completing 5 gruelling events for points: High Jump, Shotput, Hurdles, Long Jump and 200 m. dash, contested in 2 days.

Lagrosas was also a two-time Olympian, having competed in the jumping and pentathlon events at the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico Olympics.  Her personal bests: High Jump – 1.69 m. (1966); Long Jump– 5.71m. (1970); Pentathlon – 4131 points (1968, accomplished at the Mexico Olympiad, putting her in 25^th place in a field of 33 ). After retiring from the sports, Lagrosas and served as a long time Head Coach of the track and field team of De La Salle University.

SOURCES:

List of Philippines Asian Games Medalists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_Asian_Games_medal_table

“Bumper of Bronzes”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 1 Jan. 1967, p. 20-23

“Long Distance to Fame”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 13 Oct. 1968, p. 18

“Stars in Sports”, The Sunday Rimes Magazine, 1 Jan. 1969, p 28

“Meet the Athletes”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 6 Dec. 1970, p. 6-7

7. Reflections of a Life in the Fast Lane: HAYDEE COLOSO-ESPINO, Asia’s Swim Queen

In her time, she was hailed as the country’s greatest Filipina swimmer. She swam for the Philippines in 3 editions of the Asian Games, collecting 10 medals, in all colors. At age 18, she held 5 Philippine swimming records, 4 of them for individual events, In 1960, she qualified for the Olympics, competing against the world’s best in Rome. She was such a prolific producer of medals in the pool that she was dubbed as Asia’s Swim Queen, a title that HAYDEE COLOSO-ESPINO embraced and proudly wore all her life. After all, no Filipina swimmer has yet to surpass her colossal triumphs in the water, the lone Filipina triple gold medalist in swimming at the continental Asian Games.

Haydee was born on 28 August 1937 in Dueñas, Iloilo, the daughter of Atty. Lorenzo Coloso & Alicia Lanestosa Coloso. She was not exactly to the water born; at age 10, she came close to drowning when a boatload of picknickers she was with, capsized. As a precaution, her father gave her swimming pointers “so I won’t drown helplessly”, she recalled in an interview. From frolicking on the beach, she developed a deeper interest in swimming and began taking formal lessons.

By the time she was 13 and in high school, Haydee was competing and winning in national meets. She became a star swimmer of  Iloilo City College (now University of Iloilo), ably coached by Mr. Leon Tirol. Her rigorous training consisted of two hours of swimming before dawn and two more hours at sunset. She was soon surprising her coach and mentors with her fast clockings. Her best time in her pet 100 meter freestyle event qualified her for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, but at age 15, she was deemed underaged for international competitions.

Nonetheless, the aquatic feats of the young teen caught the attention of sports officials from Far Eastern University which boasts of one of the best women’s swim teams in the country. Haydee thus moved to Manila to take up Physical Education at FEU and joined the swim team coached by Mr. Freddy Cruz and Mrs. Dolores Alforte, who also acted as the girls’ chaperone. Under the guidance of her coach, she improved her times significantly in inter-collegiate swimming championships, and started amassing medals for her school, to the delight of her mentors.

Haydee even put her swimming prowess to good use by moonlighting as a stunt swimmer. In 1953, she doubled for Nida Blanca for the actress’s  swimming scenes in the 1953 movie “Hiyasmin”. Indeed, more exciting times ahead awaited this talented Ilongga who was now making a splash in the big city. With more stiff competition to contend with, Haydee was pushed to give her best, and her hard work paid off when she broke 2 national records. For the 100 meters free, she clocked 1 minute 11 seconds. This led to her being named to the Philippine Swimming Team for the 2nd Asian Games in Manila.

1954 was a banner year for Haydee as it was her first time to compete under the Philippine flag. She was entered in her favorite 100 meter freestyle event. Bolstered by the confidence of breaking 2 Philippine records, she vanquished the top Japanese bets, Tomiko Atarashi and Olympian Shizue Miyabe, to win Gold with the time of 1:09.7 min., shattering her personal best.  She did so in the last 5 meters of the race, mustering up strength to pip them at the finish, thrilling the hometown crowd, and her mother Alicia, who fainted in disbelief at her come-from-behind victory.

She returned to the pool to win the 100 m. butterfly Gold with a Games Record of 1:28.3 min. She was trailed by teammates Norma Yldefonso (daughter of legendary Olympic medalist swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso) and Sandra von Giese for a rare 1-2-3 all-Filipino finish. At the 4 x 100 m. freestyle finals, she snagged her 3^rd medal—a Silver for the Philippines—shared with Sonia von Giese, Gertrudes Vito and Nimfa Lim behind the Japanese quartet.

Suddenly, Haydee Coloso became the toast of the country, and the Philippine Sportswriters Association acclaimed her as the Women’s Swimmer of the Year. The teener was as much thrilled to receive the award as meeting then undefeated heavyweight boxing legend Rocky Marciano, who was invited to grace the affair. Haydee would go on to win the same award for the next 2 years.

As these significant moments in her sporting life were happening, Haydee’s love life was also unfolding. In Manila, she had settled in a boarding house beside Philippine Women’s University along Taft Avenue, just a short commute to FEU. As luck would have it, a fellow Ilonggo was boarding there as well, reviewing for the upcoming bar exams.

Young army captain Rodolfo Espino, son of former mayor Marcos J. Espino of Leganes, struck up a friendship with Haydee, which soon blossomed into a real romance. On 22 May 1955, Haydee Coloso failed to come home, and her disappearance was reported by her father, Atty. Coloso. It turned out that Haydee and Rodolfo eloped, much to the initial shock of their parents, prompting them to charge their daughter with parental disobedience, as she was only 17. Eventually, young couple's love prevailed, and after their secret marriage, all the hurt was forgotten, their impetuousity forgiven.

The collegiate swimmer, now a young wife,  resumed her swimming career and whipped herself back into shape daily at the Rizal Memorial pool. At the start of 1955, the prodigious swimmer held 5 Philippine national records: 100 m. freestyle at 1:09.5 mins. (1st heat, 2nd Asian Games-Manila, 5 May 1954); 200 m. freestyle at 2:45.5 mins. (National Open Championship, Manila, 9 Jan. 1954); 400 m. freestyle (National Collegiate Championship at 5:51.8 mins. (FEU, Manila, 17 Dec. 1953); 100 m. butterfly at 1:27.0 mins. (National Open Championship, 7 Jan. 1954), 4 x 100 m. relay at 5:15.6 mins. (with Sonia von Giese, G. Vito, N. Lim, 2nd Asian Games, May 5 and 7, 1954).

In 1956, Coloso-Espino competed at the National Swimming Championships in March where she swam the 400 meters freestyle. She was upset by the young 13 year old sensation Gertrudes Lozada, who erased Espino's record of 5:30.0 mins. to 5:27.7 mins. Coloso-Espino, however, beat her in their next matches, the 100 m. freestyle and the 100 m. butterfly. She was all set to represent the country at that year’s Melbourne Olympics, but this did not materialize as that same year, Haydee became pregnant with her first baby, Daisy. Only 2 Filipina swimmers went to Melbourne, her FEU teammate Gertrudes Lozada, and  Jocelyn von Giese, of U.E.

 By the time the 1958 3^rd Asian Games were announced to open in Tokyo, Japan, Haydee was back in fighting form. Her stint at the games in Tokyo proved to be her most productive yet, winning 4 medals: Individual Silver for the 100 m. free (1:06.4 min.) and 200 meter freestyle (2:32.2 min); Silver in 4x100 m. free (4:50.4 min), and a precious Gold in the 4 x100 medley relay, where she anchored the team in a new games record of 5:22.2 mins. In one rare moment, Haydee recalled, the Philippine delegation came face to face with Emperor Hirohito of Japan, who had invited the athletes in the spirit of peace and goodwill.

1960 would prove to be a historic milestone for Haydee as she finally realized her dream to be an Olympian. The Philippines sent a delegation of 5 women athletes, 3 of whom were swimmers: Sandra von Giese, Gertrudes Lozada and Haydee Coloso-Espino, who, at 23 was the oldest member of the team.

Arriving in Rome, she was starstruck to see world-class athletes—from American heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay, and fellow swimmers like the celebrated Olympic multi-medalist Dawn Fraser of Australia, who practiced alongside her in the training pool. During the qualifying heats, she was placed in Heat 4, against the American champion freestyler Chris von Saltza, who would later place 2nd to Fraser and win 3 Gold medals. Haydee clocked 1:07.8 in the 100 m. free and placed 6th in heat 4, failing to advance to the semifinals. Overall, she placed 25^th in a field of 32 swimmers.

Of her first and only Olympic experience, she reflected: “At least, hindi naman ako last! My trip to Rome was not without its high points. We visited many churches and, being from a Catholic country, we were given a special audience by Pope John Paul XXIII after officiating Mass at Castle Gandolfo. That was a historic occasion, and the news landed in the papers back home”.\\

She returned to the country a proud and fulfilled Olympian, and went on to continue with her studies and training. After finish her Physical Education course, she was immediately taken in by her alma mater, FEU, to handle P.E. swimming classes. She would also take assignments in Lyceum and Araullo High School. Weekends were devoted to training at the Rizal Stadium pool.

In 1962, Haydee was called again to lead the Philippine swimming campaign at the 4^th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia from 24 August to 4 September 1962. At age 25, she would bring home 3 medals to solidify her reputation as Asia’s premiere Swim Queen –a Team Silver for the 4 x 100 m. freestyle (shared with Corazon Lozada, Gertrudes Lozada, and Connie Paredes), a Team Bronze for the 4 x 100 medley relay (with Tessie Lozada, Gertrudes Lozada and Dolores Agustin), and an Individual Bronze for the 100 m. women’s freestyle.

 The 4^th Asiad would be the last international swimming event she would compete in as a Philippine national athlete. After all, the young mother’s priorities had shifted to her growing family. She would have 7 kids in all: after Daisy came Debbie, Dennis, Dindo, Dino, Dwight and Daphne. She retired from competitive swimming to focus on raising her kids and establishing her teaching career at Far Eastern University.  But her love for the water never waned, she continued to swim at the Rizal pool whenever she could. Second son Dindo seemed to have inherited her swimming genes as he became an accomplished swimmer, with breast stroke as his forte.

 As a swim teacher, she kept an eye on promising swimmers and it is a little-known fact that she discovered young William “Billy” Wilson, who, at age 18, would go on to rule the 200 m. men’s freestyle event at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India, swim in the 1984 L.A. Olympics, and become a bemedalled SEA Games swimmer. Haydee also chaperoned the Philippine swimming team to several international meets and was sent to the U.S. to attend a swimming seminar in 1985.

Haydee had a long and fruitful career in education, teaching continuously in Far Eastern University, her alma mater, until 1993. That same year, the family migrated to Canada. She would return to the Philippines for good in 2007 and settled back to her home province of Iloilo.

In 2016, Haydee Coloso-Espino, the country’s greatest Filipina swimmer, received the highest accolade by being inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame, the first Filipina swimmer to be installed in the hallowed list.

Looking back at her glorious career and the rewards of swimming, she said: “I am glad I have contributed something to Philippine sports”. At the same time, she pondered,  “I wonder…had the Incentive Act been given in my time, why maybe, I could have been richer than Hidylin Diaz! Now there are only 17 of us pensioners alive, with a small monthly pension of Php 5,000. I hope the incentive act will be improved. That's the irony of life. Just giving out of my sentiments. Anyways thanks just the same. Thanks for the recognition of being in the "Hall of Fame"

Haydee continued to be active despite a mild stroke she suffered in her 80s. She used a walker to get around Iloilo, and discovered the wonders of technology, including cellphones and facebook, where she would post pictures of her family, her daily activities, her travels and nostalgic photos of her wonder years.  “At least, I still have use of my fingers, and I have textmates to share stories with!”, she quips with a tone of gratitude.

Just about to weeks from her 84^th birthday, the greatest Filipina swimmer of all time passed away on 12 August 2021 in her home province, surrounded by her loved ones and family. The feats of Haydee Coloso-Espino, whether in, and out of the water,  remain unsurpassed, and her life journey stands as a testament to the spirit of a Filipina, empowered early by the love of her sports,  to give her best every day, test her limits, and then exceed them. All these she accomplished in the multiple roles she chose to assume: as an athlete,  an educator, a wife,  a mother.

Haydee Coloso-Espino found triumphs amidst her trials, successes amidst her losses, and the perfect balance that allowed her to live a long, purposeful and peaceable life. Her story should thus inspire the next generation of Philippine swimmers to dream beyond big, by putting country first before personal glory. Medals will tarnish, and records will fall, but the nobility of purpose which she pursued with all vigor and heart, is for her, a reward more fulfilling, more enduring. Her legacy she left behind is sure to live on and on.

SOURCES:

Progress 1955, Year End Report on Philippine Sports

Series of FB interviews via FB messenger with Mrs Haydee Coloso-Espino, between 28 Aug. 2017 to 26 November 2018.

Interview with Mr. Dwight "Ike"  Espino, son of Mrs. H. Espino

Photos from Mrs. Haydee Coloso-Espino Archives, used with permission. All others, Author's Collection.