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First Filipino pro bodybuilderDate: 28.01.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Philippines
I JUST received an e-mail telling me the great news that bodybuilder Jerick Ternida has finally earned his professional card after he won the world lightweight championship of the Muscle Mania World Championship.
Only winners of select international amateur competitions earn professional status, which means they can compete in the professional bodybuilding tour in the United States and Europe. It’s like Jennifer Rosales, who competes in the LPGA tour. But Ternida is the first Filipino bodybuilder to earn such status.
Readers of Standard Today are of course familiar with Ternida, who has been featured several times in this newspaper’s Fitness and Health section.
American Sports Network Inc. president Louis Zwick personally informed Ternida about his elevation to pro status after winners of the June 24, 2006 Superbody-Universe Championship and the Nov. 18, 2006 Muscle Mania World Championship were disqualified. Ternida placed first runner-up in both competitions and was awarded the championship after the disqualifications.
I understand that doping has become a really complicated practice, especially in bodybuilding, that it took months to finally confirm that the winners cheated by using performance- enhancing substances.
I previously wrote about Ternida, who was a sickly boy, who turned to bodybuilding to overcome asthma. His extraordinary determination helped him become a world-class bodybuilding champion.
In his e-mail, Ternida also said he was grateful to all of his supporters, including his loving wife, Janine, his parents, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairman Ephraim Genuino, Dodie King, Senator Lito Lapid, Rep. Jack Duavit, Mayor Mon Ilagan, Mayor Joric Gacula, and above all, God Almighty.
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As I’m writing this column, the seven-game semifinal series between the Talk N Text Phone Pals and Barangay Ginebra and the playoff between San Miguel Beer and Red Bull are tied at one game apiece.
Both series are too close to call. Talk N Text mostly relies on the size and strength of Fil-Am giants Asi Taulava, Jay Washington and Harvey Carey while Barangay Ginebra relies on the sheer offensive might of its shooters led by Mark Caguioa. I pick Talk N Text to win a short series but if it goes seven games, I believe Jong Uichico and Ginebra will outlast their rivals and win the series.
San Miguel Beer, on the other hand, is the slight favorite in the other series. For the first time in a long, long time, San Miguel coach Chot Reyes has the deep, deep bench at his disposal. Reyes has been known to motivate underdog teams to overachieve. It will be interesting if he can lead a star-studded team like the San Miguel Beermen to a PBA title.
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