Passion drives us to go further and sometimes it is in the rush of things that we test our ability to endure
challenges or finish what we had started. Same discipline applies when it comes to sports such as swimming, track and
field and various racing sports. This vary in some ways, but the speed, adrenaline and challenge to conquer the finish line
bind these sports and set it aside from any other.
Five victors of speed: a motorbike racer, equestrian jockey, varsity swimmer, track and field athlete,
and a formula racer- met with Hashtag to share their stories and impart a dose of courage through their personal acts of
defying challenges in their chosen sport. Let’s hear from them.
Kervin ignited his interest on motorbike
racing at a very young age of 12. He
started training and joined amateur events
until he mastered the sport and became
a completely skilled rider. Despite the risky
nature of motorbike racing, Kervin nurtured
his passion with determination, courage
and discipline. As a matter of fact, he
joined numerous events and competitions
and always brought home victory. He took
the podium with ease and won the Turbo
Cup, which is the most prestigious drag
racing event in the country.
Specifically, Kervin is inclined in drag
racing and circuit racing. The difference
between the two, he said, is that drag
racing has only two riders and with their
best motorbike, compete for the finish line.
In this type of race, it is necessary that the
motorbike is of best condition and the rider
is equally aggressive because the tract is
only 400 meters.
Riding a horse at full speed must
have stroke your fancy thoughts. It is
unpredictable and risky but it brings out
the passion for some people like Jemo.
At a very young age of 19, Jemo
learned to ride horses because of his
fascination to such creation. Or, it could
have been the bloodline of horseback
riders in him, which in his case his father,
that buoyed his love for the horses. He
chose to be a jockey and yielded to
it as a passion and profession. Jemo
explains to be a jockey is not a breeze
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“The moment you were delayed for the
takeoff, it will require you extra effort to
outrun your competitor and to win the
race.” Kervin mentioned that in drag
racing, the talent of the mechanics
team is the reliable edge to win the race.
It is up to team to upgrade and furnish
the motorbike to achieve maximum
performance.
On the other hand, circuit racing involves
zigzags and curved tracks as obstacles
on the race, wherein riders are required
to cover several laps. During the actual
event, there are no less than 20 riders
that would occupy the track and
compete for the win.
Unlike drag racing, the talents and skills
of the rider has the greater priority on
circuit racing. The rider must have his
strategies in order to outrun the rest with
the strength of the motorbike’s engine as
a second of priority.
These days, Kervin’s source of inspiration
is his father, who, incidentally, is a
talented mechanic and car racer. His
trainer is also a source of his motivation.
He honed his raw potentials and
pushed him to chase extra miles on his
career. Kervin had made his passion his
profession and is currently in several local
events. As a guy who bravely
faces challenges, he had proved to
others and to himself that dreams do
come true only if one knows how to seize
it and turn them into reality.
There are a number of requirements
that range from age (at least 19 years
old); two-year training in jockeying;
balanced weight, height and health
requirements, with documents
submitted to The New Philippine
Jockey Association.
Jockeys are normally self employed.
For a fee, they are nominated by horse
trainers and owners to ride their horses
in a race. Jemo shared that they
usually earn only 12 percent of the
winning price that pushes him hard to
win on the track.
Layout by Neil Dominic De Luna