Shortly after my Sunday morning meditation, a Facebook item caught my attention.
The post was written by a friend, Joey Villar, a veteran sports journalist. Joey was apparently writing instantaneously upon hearing of the passing away over the weekend of an inspiring and bemedalled Negrense chess player, Sander Severino, a native of Silay City. Sander was a FIDE Master.
Having been a sports writer and editor, too, I remember covering age-group chess tournaments where Sander demonstrated his chess prowess and promise.
One of these competitions was the Ryan Rupert Tan Tournament, founded by sports leader, businessman and former city councilor Cano Tan.
He named the competition in memory of his son who died in 1987. From 1988 until the end of the previous century, the tournament, which was managed by NM Toledo, was the biggest age-group competition in this part of country. Hundreds of children annually took part in the summer event which lasted for 12 consecutive years.
Cano said that, as part of the winners’ prize-package, he sent the tournament champions to conquer bigger competitions in Manila. “Sander was among the five NMs and an International Master the tournament produced,” Cano told me.
Joey readily gave his go-signal when I asked permission to run his tribute to Sander which was published in the Sunday edition of his paper, the PHILIPPINE STAR.
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Here’s Joey’s full article, ‘Multi-titled chess star Sander Severino passes away’.
“Sander Severino, the face of the Philippine para chess lost on time…
“Given until 20 to live when he was 8 years old due to muscle dystrophy or degeneration, Severino, through chess, defied it and lived through more than his frail body was expected of him.
“On this melancholic Saturday evening back home in Silay, Negros Occidental, his heart, which was as big as his will power and courage, failed him and quietly faded into the night.
“He was 40.
“Severino, however, went out fighting.
“Just in December last year, he gave what little energy was left in him despite the excruciating pain caused by the genetic disease that, day by day, leads to the weakening and loss of skeletal muscles.
“He ended up delivering five gold medals in the ASEAN Para Games in Thailand anyway.
“That effort hiked his mammoth total to 16 ASEAN Para Games golds plus four Asian Para Games mints, a bronze in the FIDE World Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, and, the biggest of them all, a world title for the differently abled.
“But that one in Nakhon Ratchasima proved to be his swan song.
“The Philippine Sportswriters Association will honor Severino in its annual awards night on Feb. 16 at the Diamond Hotel along with the country’s best performing athletes and officials of the past year.
“He would have wanted to attend it.
“’Master Joey, sorry late reply,’ he told this reporter from The Philippine STAR. ‘Salamat sa recognition at invitation sa PSA. Nag-usap na kami ni coach James (Infiesto), hindi ako makapunta na.’
“’Nagkasakit ako pag-uwi after Thailand, kailangan siguro mahabang rest to,’ he added.
“He never made it.”
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Thanks Sander for the honors you brought to our country and the inspiration your life has given to generations of chess players and the nation in general.
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As of this writing, the arena is ready for Superbowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8 (Monday, 7:30 a.m. PH time)
The U.S. National Football League championship match is between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are the National Football Conference titlist while the Patriots topped the American Football Conference.
The championship game will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Both teams have identical 14-3 win-loss records going into their final encounter for the season.
The Seahawks last win the title in 2013. The two teams previously met in Superbowl XLIX, which was won by New England.
An awaited part of the championship game is the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, a 13-minute extravaganza, which is carried live in nationwide television. This year’s halftime extravaganza will feature Bad Bunny, the first Latino artist to headline the show solo.
Personally, I’m rooting for the Seahawks, because of kicker Jason Myers, who takes pride in his Filipino ancestry.
His great grandfather was an immigrant to the United States who served in the U. S. Navy.
My friends and kin in the United States are super excited!
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) | NWI
