Ormoc City — Filipino actor-turned-politician Richard Gomez has dedicated his recent silver medal win at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to the resilient people of Ormoc City, his hometown, who have faced numerous challenges in recent years.
Gomez, who competed in the pistol shooting event, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the community during a press conference held at the Ormoc City Hall on Tuesday.
Long after graduating from varsity volleyball in high school, Richard Gomez had already established himself as a natural athlete before beginning his career as a model-turned-actor in the entertainment industry. The actor is also a seasoned athlete from the SEA Games, having competed for the nation in volleyball, rowing, and fencing throughout the years.
He returned this year as a part of the Sporting Clays National contingent, where he and his team won silver on December 14. He first represented the nation in sports shooting at the 2005 SEA Games.
Richard discussed their team’s accomplishment in an interview with One Sports, saying, “We were hoping to get that gold, but silver will do.” This makes us very happy. Personally, I’m happy because I have two gold medals from the SEA Games, four silver medals, and one bronze. But ito, para sa lahat ito. In fact, we recorded 20 competitors from Ormoc who competed in the SEA Games. Thus, this is Ormoc’s first silver medal. Madagdagan pa ito, hopefully?
The team’s win comes their achievement at the 47th SEASA Shooting Championships in Photharam, Thailand, in October of last year, where they also won a silver medal. Carlo Baltonado, Jed Rivilla, and Jakey Ancheta are further members of the Philippine Sporting Clays National Team.
Plans are underway in Ormoc City to hold a special ceremony honoring Gomez’s silver medal achievement, where local officials and residents will come together to celebrate this milestone.
Mayor Gomez’s accomplishment has also sparked discussions about investing more in local sports programs to nurture future athletes from the region.
Looking Forward
With the SEA Games behind him, Richard Gomez has pledged to continue both his public service and his sports career, hoping to bring more recognition and hope to Ormoc City.
