Four Pinoys to join 2012 London Olympics torch relay

Four Filipinos have made it to the list of torchbearers in the 2012 London Olympics in July.   From among thousands of nominees worldwide, four Filipinos have been chosen to carry the Olympic torch, a symbol of the Olympic games:

• Steven Cheung, 19, an Olympic Youth Ambassador for Waltham Forest in the United Kingdom;
• Reymund Enteria, 30, an occupational therapist in the United Kingdom;
• Joven Mallo, 29, sales and services Assistant of Crowne Plaza Manila, and
• Marcy Reyes, executive housekeeper of Holiday Inn, 47.

In an interview with GMA News Online on April 20, Reyes said: “Para sa akin, once in a lifetime experience talaga. Personally, the [torch’s] flame represents ‘yung aking pagmamahal at commitment sa aking family, work at community.”    On the other hand, Mallo told GMA News Online: “Sa totoo lang, hindi ko akalain na mapipili ako. Marami po akong mga kakilala na nagsasabi good luck. Nagpapasalamat din po ako at isa ako sa napili. Excited na rin po ako! Grateful din po ako sa mga tumulong sa akin para makapasok po ako.” Reyes and Mallo are two of the eight delegates who will represent InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the largest hotel chains in world, with brands such as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn.   IHG is the official hotel sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics. In a press statement issued on April 20, IHG said: “Mallo was chosen for his heroic act during Typhoon Ondoy (2009), instead of fleeing to safety with his belongings, he chose to stay and brave the flood to rescue his old neighbor that he barely even knew.” On the other hand, Reyes, who has been with Holiday Inn for 19 years, was chosen as a torchbearer for being an exemplary employee, a mother, and an avid charity worker.   Earlier, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said London-based Enteria and Cheung  were dedicating their run as torchbearers for the overseas Filipino workers worldwide.  "Being chosen as a torchbearer is a true honor, and I dedicate my run to all my fellow OFWs,” Enteria said.   Cheung, on the other hand, said: "I hope my run does inspire Filipinos and young people everywhere to become more actively engaged in their communities."   Biggest sport event The Olympics is an international sporting event held every two years (summer and winter games alternating) featuring thousands of athletes from more than 200 nations all over the world. The London Summer Olympics will be held from July 27 to August 12, 2012. The list for the torch relay has 7,300 confirmed places. The list may be viewed here. On Tuesday, a report of Reuters said the designers of London's Olympic torch have won the Design of the Year 2012 award.

London studio Barber Osgerby, a joint venture between Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, was chosen from a field of 89 entries, and honored at a ceremony at London's Design Museum. "Nothing is harder to get right than designing for the Olympics," said Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic. "The lightness and simplicity of Barber Osgerby's Olympic Torch does just that." The torch is made of aluminum and perforated with 8,000 circular holes, each representing a single carrier of the torch as it makes its way to the opening ceremony in London on July 27. According to the London Olympics website: "The Olympic Torch will be taken to within 10 miles of 95% of the population. It will visit every county of the UK, every Local Authority area in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and every Borough in London." "Over its 70-day journey, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles either in Relay or in convoy (driving and other modes of transport)," it added. - VVP, GMA News