GOODBYE, 2021. Hello, 2022.

Despite the continuing threat of the COVID-19 which affected both grassroots and elite sports, the year about to end — 2021 — delivered the most memorable moment in the country’s long history in sports during the Tokyo Olympics.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz ended the country’s 97-year gold medal drought in the Olympics.

With the silver medals of boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and the bronze medal of Eumir Marcial, the Tokyo Oympics turned out to be the most successful sporting campaign ever.

But as sure as day follows night, we now hope the new year -2022 — will be a lot more spectacular in many ways.

It’s the new year in sports, after all. And like the old year, we sure like to see more triumphs than setbacks, more cheers than jeers.

As we always say, we’d like to see more of the good and less of the bad.

Here are five things we’d like to see in sports in the new year.

1. It’s only fitting that after winning a first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, the Filipino athletes will again do their best and try to retain the overall championship in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in May, 2022.

Two years ago, the Filipino athletes made the country proud by winning a record 149 gold medals to emerge as the overall champion infront of an adoring crowd at home.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), headed by president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, and most of the national sports associations have now expressed guarded optimism.

Like in Manila 2019, overcoming Vietnam’s homecourt advantage in 2022 will be like doing the 12 Labors of Hercules.

But we can dream, can’t we?

2. OK alright, our beloved world boxing champion-turned-public servant Manny Pacquiao is running as President of the country in the coming May national elections.

The “Fighting Senator” from General Santos City announced his retirement from boxing in a social media post last September 2021 to pursue his political career.

But in a strictly boxing sense, the boxing world would surely want to see the 43-year-old champion fight for one last time, possibly in a long-overdue rematch against American rival Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Will it ever happen? Every new year the whole boxing world talks about the fight that everybody wants to see.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather Part 2 didn’t happen in 2019 or 2020 or 2021. But the boxing gods know there isn’t a better storyline next year but put the world’s greatest fighters of this generation on the same ring for another 12 rounds of non-stop action.

Pacquiao and Mayweather have proven themselves to be two of the best fighters of all time. They don’t exactly need each other now as much as their “Fight of the Century” encounter back in May 2016 which Mayweather won by unanimous decision.

But the brutal world of prizefighting surely needs a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch to keep the sport alive and kicking.

3. Return of world chess hero Wesley So.

Seven years ago, So broke a lot of Filipino chess fans’ hearts when he decided to leave the country and bring his talents to the United States following disagreements with the local chess federation.

And while the 27-year-old pride of Bacoor, Cavite remains a Filipino by heart, he now carries the American flag every time and everywhere he plays chess.

It might be wishful thinking for now, but So’s family, friends and supporters all over the world still fervently pray that our once-shy but gifted Filipino hero will return home and represent the country in international competitions once again

Personally, I can’t wait for the day to see him again, shake his hands, give him a big hug and tell him, “Well done, Champ.”

It will be like Kazan Universiade 2013 all over again for the two of us.

4. For years, we talk about the need for new sports heroes in billiards, bowling, boxing, chess, golf, shooting, swimming, tennis and track and field.

For decades, we’ve all heard and read a lot about the heroics of Efren “Bata” Reyes, Paeng Nepomuceno, Manny Pacquiao, Eugene Torre, Frankie Minoza, Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla, Eric Buhain, Cecil Mamiit and Lydia de Vega-Mercado.

Everybody loves a hero, but isn’t it about time that our mostly over-staying and under-achieving sports leaders give us new heroes to cheer and love in the coming years.

Of course, we saw the rise of weightlifting superstar Hidilyn Diaz, skateboard sensation Margielyn Didal, golf queen Yuka Saso, pole vault championEJ Obiena, boxing star Nesthy Petecio, tenn8s ace Alex Eala and gymnastics idol Caloy Yulo.

But we want more. We deserve more.

5. With the national elections coming up new sports leaders in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) could also be forthcoming.

But we all know the two government sports agencies have done a great job in doing their roles in the promotion of sports.

In 2022, the Filipino sports community would surely want to see PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and GAB Abraham “Baham” Mitra keep their respective posts for the sake of the athletes.

With Ramirez at the helm, the Philippines achieved two of the country’s biggest feats in sports: the “Miracle of 2019 SEA Games” and the historic Olympic gold medal in Tokyo

Under Mitra, GAB did everything it can do to help the Filipino professional athletes even during the pandemic.

Mitra was also responsible for three other major achievements: two prestigious “Commission of the Year” awards from the powerful World Boxing Council (WBC) and a high grade from the Commission on Audit (COA).

More sports, including e-sports, also turned professional this year mainly through the initiatives of Mitra and GAB. To name a few, PVL, PCAP and Pilipinas Vis Min Cup.

Ramirez and Mitra did very well this year. Let them do it again next year.

OK, dear. These are only some of the things we’ d like to see in 2022. More of the good, less of the bad.

Your turn now. What would you like to see in sports in the coming year.

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NOTES — Happy birthday to my youngest brother Christopher Andaya, who will celebrate on Dec. 31 in Riyadh, KSA.

A blessed New Year to all.

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