Olympians hail Ormoc’s hosting of Laser-Run

TACLOBAN CITY, March 6  -- At least two Olympians from Europe lauded the Ormoc city government after its successful hosting of the first Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) Global Laser-Run City Tour over the weekend.

Dubbed as “Ormoc City Laser Run 2018", this type of sporting event was the first in the Philippines and in the Eastern Visayas region.

“This Laser-Run is a run-and-shoot event with the use of a laser gun, for all ages from 9 under to 15 above,” Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez said in a mobile phone interview.

The mayor said the sporting competition is part of the city’s sports tourism program.

“We are already doing good. This is a good chance to start,” Latvian Olympian Deniss Cerkovkis said Tuesday after visiting Ormoc to organize the event.

Cerkovkis said the holding of Laser-Run in the city is feasible, adding that the city government “is doing a great job” and that the mayor “understands a lot (about) sports”.

Bernhard Petruschinsui, German Olympian and an international expert on the UIPM laser run, also said that he is happy that the actor-sportsman-turned-politician has realized the plan to host this kind of sports while acknowledging the tournament venue made available to the athletes in the city.

“We asked the permission from the UIPM, the world pentathlon, to hold laser run… I encourage children to become athletes and play because I want them to be physically fit, take them away from drugs, and develop a healthy lifestyle,” added Gomez while thanking the Ormoc Lions Host Club, Kids Foundation, and other private partners for their support.

Meanwhile, Gomez said he would be formally announced as chef de mission of the Philippine delegation to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia from Aug. 18 to September 2.

He also expressed elation over the election of Ricky Vargas as new president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) against Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. who held the position for 13 years.

Gomez, president of the fencing association and erstwhile chef de mission of the country in the Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand in 2014, said Vargas "brings a new confidence to the national sports associations".

Asked how the country would win gold medals in major global sports competitions, Gomez said there is a need for unity between the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission.

"We are always behind in rankings. The Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympics Committee should unite and talk towards the goal of winning,” Gomez said. (ROR/PNA)