WATCH: Special games NCR swimmer tries his best to be ‘like everyone else’

ANTIQUE, Philippines – In the pool, Edmar Mamaclay looks like any other swimmer. As he warmed up with his team, performing different strokes, he kept up and fit in with everyone else.

It was when he stepped out of the pool that he stood out the most.

Edmar is one of the stars of the 2017 Palarong Pambansa, having won 5 gold medals as a swimmer for the National Capital Region (NCR).

He did all these with his one leg.

Belief in himself

Edward lost his leg after an accident when he was 7 years old. But like every other athlete in the special games, he never let his disability hinder him from achieving his dreams.

For him, it’s his constant belief in himself that led him to where he is today.

“Mas naniniwala ako sa sarili ko na kahit may disability, alam ‘kong magagawa ‘ko yung gusto ‘ko.” (I believe in myself even though I have a disability. I know that I can do what I want to do.)

As for the people around him, no one is surprised to see how much Edmar has achieved. His coach Arnel Antonio shared that the athlete puts in maximum effort in everything he does, including being in a star section at the President Diosdado Macapagal High School.

The Palarong Pambansa Special Games is one of the priority categories this year, according to Department of Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali. All regions except Western Visayas confirmed participation for the games.

Initial move to swimming

Shockingly enough, Edmar only began focusing his full attention on swimming when he was a Grade 10 student in mid-2016. Initially, the swimmer had qualms regarding the possible discrimination he would face from other people.

He was pleasantly surprised that he received the opposite reaction.

“Una po, natutuwa kasi akala ko ma-didiscriminate ako kasi sa nakikita nila pero mas natutuwa sila. ‘Pag nasa swimming or nasa pool area ako, nagugulat siyempre, tapos nagugulat sila tapos after naman noon, ina-approach nila ako and sinasabi nila na natutuwa sila kasi sa nakikita nila,” shared the NCR swimmer.

(I’m happy because I thought I would be discriminated at first. But once people see that I was disabled, they become happy. Of course, when I’m at the pool they get shocked but after that they approach me and tell me that they are happy to have seen me.)

From the day he started swimming, Edmar has made it a point to do everything a person with two legs can. Even though it was a tedious process, it was one of the reasons he switched from his former sport Badminton.

“Mas nahirapan po sa training kasi medyo kailangan pang kapain or mag-adjust sa training. So ‘yun, natuto ko siya mahalin kasi parang mas nakakaya kong gawin ang nagagawa ng normal person sa sport ng swimming.”

(I had a hard time training because I still need to adjust. I learned to love the sport because it lets me do what normal people do.)

Making it to Palaro

Though not entirely surprised because of Edmar’s work ethic, his coach did admit he was overwhelmed with emotions when his athlete did so well at the NCR tournament.

“Eto na yung ultimate eh, yung peak. Kumbaga eto na yung pinakamataas na for the national games,” said Antonio. (This is the ultimate, the peak. Essentially, this is the highest point for the national games.)

He added that it was Edmar’s passion that makes him one of the best in his field.

“Determinado na kaya niya gampanan yung mga binibigay ng coach na kung ano yung pinapagawa sa kanya, talagang nagagawa niya yung role niya as a swimmer,” Antonio shared. (He is determined that he can do whatever the coach tells him to do in his role as a swimmer.)

Even if he is just a rookie at Palaro, Edmar said that he only has one goal in mind this next week – victory.

“I-neexpect ko po manalo. Ayun po, yung inaako ko, yung mini-mindset ko manalo kaya nag-ttraining po.” (I expect to win. I am claiming it. I am setting my mindset that I will be able to win. This is why I train.)

The swimmer said he will make the most of his time here and make sure he enjoys the entire tournament. – Rappler.com

Rappler intern Brent Guiao is a 2nd year BS Business Management student from De La Salle University.

READ: Palarong Pambansa 2017 stories by campus journalists