KUALA LUMPUR – Taekwondo’s Kirstie Elaine Alora won’t be seeing action until Aug. 29, two days prior to the close of the 29th Southeast Asian Games. And when she does, it will be for her embattled friend and Olympics teammate Ian Lariba.
“Para sa kanya ang laban na ito,” said Alora, who fought alongside Lariba and a few elite athletes, in last year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Lariba, who is the first table tennis player to qualify in the Olympics, was recently diagnosed with a rare blood-related disease — an acute myeloid leukemia and is currently undergoing strict medical attention back home in Manila.
Alora arrived on Thursday in time Saturday’s opening ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium where she was designated as the flag bearer for Team Philippines in the parade of athletes from 11 competing countries.
Alora was actually a replacement to Lariba in marching with the Philippine delegation together with chief of mission Cynthia Carrion, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) executive director Carlo Abarquez, deputy chief of mission Robert Mananquil and Robert Bachmann.
“Of course, I will be carrying the flag and playing for the country for her. Para sa kanya talaga ito.”
The 493-strong contingent is out to surpass the country’s sixth-place finish in the previous edition of the biennial meet in Singapore in 2015.
