REMEMBER Arianne Cerdeña?

Cerdeña, who won the elusive gold medal in the demonstration sport of bowling during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, is back in the news again.

Thanks in part to Tokyo Olympics weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, Cerdeña’s bowling gold in Seoul 33 years ago is again the topic of conversations in the sports circle.

“I’m happy that people still remembers me and my Seoul Olympics gold medal. I’m really proud of Hidilyn and all the other Filipino athletes now competing in Tokyo,” said Cerdeña during the 112th “Usapang Sports on Air” by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) via Zoom last Thursday.

Cerdeña, now 59 and living the good life with her family in Los Angeles, feels the success of Diaz in the world’s biggest sporting stage would give more opportunities to deserving Filipino athletes — more than what athletes like her had in the past.

The multi-awarded bowler-turned-registered nurse recalled the hard work and sacrifices of being a national athlete fighting for the country’s pride and honor in the Seoul Olympics and other major international competitions and the joy of winning them all.

“Ang dami-dami kong napanalunan na (bowling) tournaments during my playing days. Nanalo ako sa FIQ World Championships, sa World Games, sa World Cup, sa Goodwill Games, sa Asian Games, sa SEA Games. Pero syempre, ang pinakamasarap yun manalo ng Olympic gold,” recalled Cerdeña during the weekly public service program sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

The Seoul Olympic gold medal did not make Cerdeña P40-million richer back in 1988, but it made her proud to be a Filipino.

“Kahit demonstration sport ang bowling sa Seoul Olympics, pinatugtog din ang Lupang Hinirang (national anthem) sa awarding ceremony. It was a proud moment to be a Filipino,” said Cerdeña, one of 10 sports heroes inducted into the Philippine Sports of Fame recently.

Coached by Ernesto Lopa, the then 26-year-old Cerdeña battled tremendous pressure to beat Asian Games champion Atsuko Asai of Japan, 249-211, and win the gold medal.

(Asai even defeated Cerdeña, 197-180, during their initial encounter).

Cerdeña recalled the small Filipino crowd at the Royal Bowling Center in Seoul erupted in cheers while she fell on both knees, knowing they have just witnessed the country’s first Olympic gold medal since Paris 1924.

“I still can’t describe how I felt that moment. I didn’t even remember what I was saying during the interview,”” Cerdeña told People’s Tonight and other TOPS member-newspapers.

“But before the finals, I remember my coach (Lopa) told me: ‘Arianne, I have taught you everything that a coach can teach. Once you’re there, it’s all up to you’. Naalala ko pa yun until now,” recalled Cerdena.

“Every athlete’s dream is to represent the country and to win. Fortunately for me, nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na maglaro sa Olympics at nanalo. Parang magandang panaginip yun. Hanggang ngayon, naaalala ko pa every shot, frame by frame. It is really something I will cherish for the rest of my life,”explained Cerdeña.

Cerdeña was also very thankful to the PSC headed by Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, for her enshrinement to the PSHOF.

“Being in the Hall of Fame means a lot. I’m blessed na makasana dito.You know, as an athlete, madami din talaga akong in-idolize, like (Robert) Jaworski, Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo. This is good for the young generation, na meron silang something to achieve, something to break, something to be like someday.”

Cerdeña retired after winning the doubles gold medal with Lisa del Rosario in the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and decided to join her husband Raymond and daughter Ashley Lauren in the United States.

A dentistry graduate at the Centro Escolar University, Cerdeña went back to college after her retirement and became a nurse at the Medical Surgery Unit of the California Medical Center.

“When I retired and decided to join my family in the US, I asked myself what I wanted to do. So I decided to go back to school and take up nursing using the savings from my winnings in bowling.”

Asked about the financial rewards being given to outstanding achievers in sports, Cerdeña claimed the athletes should be able to handle the pressure well.

“It works two ways. For some, it serves as an inspiration to strive harder, work harder to win. Sometimes sports is a way out (of poverty) kaya talagang magsisikap manalo. Pero minsan naman nagiging problema kung masyadong iisipin ng atleta yun mga rewards. Minsan nine-nerbyos, minsan nagiging masyadong defensive imbes na maging offensive. Sa sports, I think kailangan maging offensive ka. Keep the focus on the goal always.”

Asked for her advise to Diaz and other national athletes, Cerdeña said they should also prepare for the future.

“When I won the Olympic gold, Lucio Tan gave me P1-million, but I paid tax for that. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) also gave me money. Tapos sa POC, binigyan ako ng US1,000 dollars. Sa PSC, I believe they give me about P100,000 or P200,000 incentive. Brunswick sponsored me for four years. May iba pang mga private sponsors. Hindi kasing-laki ng mga incentives ngayon. But I really saved my winnings. At least minimum of 15 percent of my winnings in my tournaments, diretso sa bangko,”explained Cerdeña.

“My Dad used to tell me you cannot be there forever. May mga sports nga na hanggang 20s or 30s ka lang makapaglalaro. Sa bowling, medyo mahaba pa nga. So, always save for a rainy day. In my case nga, I used my savings when I went back to school and took up nursing.”

Too bad Cerdeña’s Seoul Olympics bowling gold medal does not count in the Olympic medal tally since bowling is still just a demonstration sport.

But winning the Seoul Olympic gold was a feat no other Filipino athlete has accomplished until Diaz came along in 2021.

The Filipino athletes first joined the Olympics in Paris in 1924.

But the dream of winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold started in 1988 when Cerdeña finally proved the Filipinos can.

With reports from Gab Ferreras