'To us, they count,' Loren says of RP Olympic wins

Senator Loren Legarda lauded yesterday members of the Philippine Olympics team for "giving their very best in Beijing in keeping with the true spirit of sports competitions."

"While our country has once again been shut out in the official Olympics medal tally, our athletes fought their hearts out and we should be proud of them," said Legarda.

According to Legarda, the Philippine campaign can not be considered as a debacle altogether in view of the wins posted by Filipinos in wushu.

"To us they count," said Legarda of the wushu gold medal won by Willy Wang and the other wins posted by Filipinos in the martial arts discipline.

Wang, 21, is the son of a Binondo businesswoman and a Chinese mainlander who represented the Philippine tri-color in Beijing.

Three other Filipinos had assured themselves of bronze in wushu, an event whose medals at stake do not count in the official Olympics tally.

Legarda said she is always dismayed by the recriminations that attend unsuccessful sports campaigns by the country.

"No, there's no need to sound the death knell yet on Philippine sports," Legarda said. "We Filipinos are made of sterner stuff to just give up."

"We should be positive in looking at the Olympics as a continuing challenge for us."