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Philippines, 17 Jan 2026 |
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OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Yuka Saso has Bulakenyo running in her veins By Eddie Alinea of The Manila Times PhilBoxing.com Wed, 09 Sep 2020  Yuka Saso. Include golfing sensation Yuka Saso in the list of Filipino Olympians hopeful of gifting the country its first Olympic gold medal following 76 years of futility that started when the Philippines first took part in in the quadrennial aggrupation in 1924. No, the youthful 19-yer-old parbuster has yet to make official her entry the games re-scheduled next year, but by all indications, she’s already secured her ticket to Tokyo. Yes, Saso, daughter of a Japanese father and a Filipina mother, catapulted herself to No. 30 in the world ranking with back-to-back title conquest, a huge leap from No. 46 she gained for winning the NEC Karuizawa last August 16 before topping, too, the Nitori Ladies in Hokkaido the following week. Sixty divot-diggers in the men’s division and an equal number in the distaff side will advance, making Saso, barring any untoward incidents, anything that would stop her from further participating in the remaining tournaments until June next year, a sure bet to make it along with compatriot Dottie Ardina, currently No. 54. The power-hitting Filipina is actually seeking her third record-tying consecutive title in the Golf45 Ladies professional golf tournament that opened last Friday in Gifu Prefecture in Central Honshu that would've ended on Sunday. She, thus, will join four other Filipino athletes, who has so far made it earlier to the “Greatest Sports Show On Earth” – boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno, pole vaulter Ernest Joh Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo. Like Saso, weightlifter Hidilyn, silver medalist four years ago in Rio de Janeiro, and another fighter, world featherweight titlist Nesthy Petecio are also cinch for an Olympic slot each. This OUTSIDER hasn’t seen Yuka plays but based on reports that she, too, is in softball/baseball, I can just imagine her gifted with probably the longest swing ever seen on a golfer with 1.8 meter frame. I can imagine her standing on the batters’ box driving somewhere between her knees and navel on her back swing and goes around three or four times before making contact with the ball. Expect her to spin around twice, like a propeller to maximize power in her arms. The power of the swing is such that she must've glued herself into the ground to keep herself from flying after the ball. If she misses, she won’t come down for five long minutes. Secrets that powerful hitters in softball and baseball possess and to which national coaches Randy Dizer and Opring dela Cruz subscribe to on the strength of reports that Saso plays ball, too, besides shooting birdies and eagles on the green. ”Yeah, it’s not a remote possibility that Yaku also plays softball or baseball,” the duo chorused in separate telephone interviews. “Malamang doon nya nakuha strength ng braso nya.” Former Philippine Blu Girl pitcher Julita Tayo, once adjudged as the best left-handed hurler in the world and of the heroes in the Philippines’ bronze medal finish in the 1970 Women’s World Championship held in Osaka, Japan, agreed. Having born in the town of San Ildefonso in Bulacan, which, like its immediate neighbor San Miguel, is known to have produced many top notch softball players, who became members of the Philippine Blu Girls and Blu Boys, bolstered the trio’s sentiments. No one among the three could ascertain, though, from whom Yuka could’ve inherited her strong arms. Not even from her mother, whose only identity Ritzie is being a Bulakenya being also from San Ilfefonso. Her Japanese father and personal coach is Masakazu. Yuka has repeatedly expressed her liking of fellow fairway artist Rory McIlroy, but for Tayo, it’s her being a Bulakenya she should thank for for her brilliance on the green and off it. “Dugong Bulakenya ang meron siya. Dugong nananalaytay sa ugat ng ating mga bayaning sina Francisco Baltazar, Marcelo del Pilar at Gergorio del Pilar, among others,“ Tayo declared. Tayo was, of course referring to Baltazar “Balagtas,” known as the Prince of Tagalog Poetry, Marcelo del Pilar, “The Great Propagandist,” and Gregorio del Pilar, “The Hero of the Battle of Tirad Pass.” And in sports like Lydia de Vega, “Asia’s Sprint Queen” and “Fastest Woman” basketball great Vergel “Aerial Voyager” Meneses, the only player to have so far won four PBA All Star MVP, and, of course, herself, to mention a few. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea of The Manila Times.  |
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