Raphael Trinidad shows off his silver medal. | contributed photo
Cebu City, Philippines— It is already proven that Cebu has produced top-caliber athletes.
June Mar Fajardo from Pinamungajan town, southwestern Cebu is a five-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player and a seven-time PBA champion with San Miguel Beer.
Olympian Mary Joy Tabal from Barangay Guba in Cebu City won the National Milo Marathon title for six straight years and has also won a gold in the Southeast Asian Games, among others.
There’s also the likes of Deanna Wong, who was recently crowned champion in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament with Ateneo de Manila University, and of course her rival in the finals, the energetic Sisi Rondina from Compstela, Cebu, who was hailed Athlete of the Year in Season 81 of the UAAP.
With the achievements of these athletes, it is clear that Cebuano athletes are indeed talented.
One trying to join the ranks of these aforementioned stars is a young athlete from Liloan, Cebu, who is making a name for himself in a sport not very common to Filipinos—wakeboarding.
Raphael Trinidad, 17, proved his worth when he won a silver medal on the world stage last February during the IWWF World Wakeboard Championships.
Trinidad, wowed the crowd in Buenos Aires, Argentina when he showed what a Cebuano wakeboarder can do.
Trinidad, who started wakeboarding when he was still 12 years old, told Cebu Daily News Digital why he fell in love with wakeboarding.
Raphael Trinidad in action. | contributed photo
“Wakeboarding is different from other sports and there’s really no limit to what you can do and achieve in the sport,” he said.
Trinidad, who has already joined a number of national and international competitions, said that the IWWF World Wakeboard Championships is the highlight of his wakeboarding career.
“I think the best competition for me was the one in Argentina. The IWWF Wakeboard World Championships held in Pampa Cable Park. It was my first World Competition and I took home a silver medal for the Philippines,” said Trinidad.
Trinidad is also coming from a successful stint in the 12th Philippines Cable Wakeboard Nationals in Camarines Sur held over the weekend.
“So stoked to bag both Pro Mens Traditional and Open Features retaining my title as the National Champion. Thank you to everyone who made this possible and one to remember and a big thank you to my parents and family who always have my back and are my #1 supporters” said Trinidad in his Facebook post, on Sunday, May 26, 2019.
Asked what his advice is to those who want to try out the sport, he said to just keep going.
“Never give up. Whenever you fall just get back up and try again. All of the hard work will pay off in time” said Trinidad.
Trinidad’s next big performance will be late this year during the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Clark, Pampanga
The incoming grade 12 student, who is looking at pursuing Sports Science, is now based in Laguna for his training.
“Wakeboarding in Cebu is really not that known ‘cause the wake park there already closed down,” he said.
Aside from wakeboarding, Trinidad also plays volleyball, soccer and table tennis during his free time. /bmjo
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