PEP lists showbiz celebs in sports

Sports and show business don't usually match. But a lot of celebrities have proven their competence not only in acting but in the sport that they chose as well. The discipline of sports teaches the value of fair play, camaraderie, ethical behavior, and grace in losing. Sports offer a lot of benefits, like promoting good health and allowing people to reach the peak of their physique; plus, lowering stress—a problem our local artistas usually face in the world of show business. In this edition of PEP's Top List, we present some of our notable celebs who excelled in their chosen sport before joining showbiz or during their career as actors. Olympic Swimmer Christine Jacob. Before emerging in the world of showbiz, Christine Jacob was a champion swimmer—and an Olympian to boot! The former Eat Bulaga and Mobile Kusina co-host started out as young kid with a passion for swimming. She competed in national and international meets until she became the Philippines' bet in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Christine Jacob competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics under the Women's 100m (36th place) and 200m (25th place) freestyle, and the Women's 100m (28th place) and 200m (27th place) Backstroke. The Sport. Swimming became a popular competitive sport as early as 1896 during the Summer Olympic Games in Athens. The goal of competitive swimming is to be the fastest to swim a given distance. The competition consists of 34 events: 17 men's events and 17 women's events. It's a popular event at the Sunner Olypic Games, where male and female athletes each compete in 13 of the recognized events held in a 50-meter pool. Competitive swimming's international governing body is FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation), the International Swimming Federation. Taekwondo Gold Medalist Monsour del Rosario. Manuel Monsour del Rosario III was inspired to take up martial arts at the age of nine mainly because other boys bullied him in school. Fascinated by Chinese Kung Fu and Bruce Lee movies, Monsour strived to be the best martial arts practitioner. At first, he studied Tang Soo Doo/Moo Duk Kwan under Joe Lopez-Vito, his first instructor. He later shifted to Tae Kwon Do in 1977 under Sung Chon Hong when Monsour moved to Manila for high school. Five years later, he was included in the National Team. Monsour was ranked Number One in the Lightweight Division here in the Philippines and he held that title for seven years (1982-1989). In 1989, he competed in the 15th SEA Games and bagged the gold medal. His list of distinctions all comes down to his discipline and hard work to achieve his goals. The Sport. Tae Kwon Do is a martial art and combat sport that originated in Korea. It is Korea's national sport and is included in Olympic sporting events. Derived from hanja, Tae means to destroy with feet; Kwon, to strike or smash with the hand; and Do means "path", "way" or "method". Loosely translated, it means "the way of the feet and fist". Taekwondo's popularity has resulted in the divergent evolution of the martial art. As with many other martial arts, taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy. Although there are great doctrinal and technical differences among public and private taekwondo organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, using the leg's greater reach and power to disable the opponent from a distance. In sparring, turning, front, reverse turning and side kicks are often used, as well as the backfist and reverse punch; advanced kicks include jump, spin, sliding, and skip kicks, often in combination. Taekwondo training often includes a system of blocks, punches, open-handed strikes and may include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks, though it generally does not emphasize grappling. Gold Medal Equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco. People who happen to see Mikee Cojuangco's signature need not wonder what her favorite animal is. Mikee started to develop a love for horses when she was just eight by observing her father's dedication in taking care of horses. She was allowed to ride by the time she reached the age of 10. Mikee instantly became a natural as soon as she placed her foot in the stirrup and itched to compete in equestrian events right away. She got her first taste of challenge when she was 16, flying all the way to Shizouka, Japan, where she placed third in the individual show jumping. Placing third seemed to fuel her competitive nature as she again went to Australia in 1995 for the Asia-Pacific Equestrian Championships for the chance to clinch the gold. This time, she was successful. The best moment that happened to her would be the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, where Mikee managed to bag the Philippines' third and last gold medal in the individual show jumping event. The Sport. Equestrian sports revolve around endurance racing, reining, show jumping, polo, and horse racing. These events were first included in the Olympic Games in 1900. Mikee's specialty would fall under Equitation: events where the rider is judged on form, style and ability in three categories: Dressage, Show Jumping, and Eventing. Dressage ("training" in French) involves the progressive training of the horse to a high level of impulsion, collection, and obedience. Show jumping is a timed event where riders and their horses jump over a series of obstacles in a given order with the fewest refusals or knockdowns of portions of the obstacles. Eventing, also called combined training, horse trials, the three-day event, the Military, or the complete test, puts together the obedience of dressage with the athletic ability of show jumping, the fitness demands the cross-country jumping phase. In the last-named, the horses jump over fixed obstacles, such as logs, stone walls, banks, ditches, and water, trying to finish the course under the "optimum time." Silver Medal Swordsman Richard Gomez. People who think "Richard Frank Gomez" immediately associate his name with sports. The man plainly loves the world of sports, as he is an avid golfer, motocross rider, basketball and baseball player. Since Goma is a versatile sportsman, we will focus on the one sport that truly made him exceptional: Fencing. For six years, he awed the crowd at the Asian Fencing League with his discipline and determination. Starting at the 1st National Games back in 1995, Richard grabbed silver medal under the Individual Event. This was followed by a flurry of other distinctions like being the champion at the Dayrit Cup and the Finladia Cup. International recognition finally came when Richard joined and won the bronze medal at the 1995 Sea Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He competed in 12 more events during his course as fencing professional until 2001, when he chose to stop competing and concentrate on his acting career. The Sport. Fencing, originally derived from the shortening of the Middle English "defens," was first used in reference to swordsmanship in William Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor (Alas sir, I cannot fence). The sport is all about armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapons directly manipulated by hand. In the Olympic Games, three types are only used namely: the Foil, the Épée, and the Sabre. The Foil is a light-thrusting weapon; the valid target is restricted to the torso; double hits are not allowed. The Épée is a heavier thrusting weapon; the valid target area covers the entire body; double hits are allowed. Lastly, the Sabre is a light cutting and thrusting weapon; the valid target area includes almost everything above the waist (excluding the back of the head and the hands); double hits are not allowed. Competitions are conducted according to rules laid down by the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), the international governing body. These rules evolved from a set of conventions developed in Europe between mid-17th and early 20th century with the specific purpose of regulating competitive activity. They are loosely rooted in the practical requirements of fencing as a martial art. In competition, the validity of touches is determined by the electronic scoring apparatus, so as to minimize human error and bias in refereeing. Basketball Champ Benjie Paras. Like Christine Jacob and Monsour del Rosario, Benjie Paras was already a sportsman even before joining showbiz. The Pride of U.P. (University of the Philippines) led his team to win the university's first UAAP Men's basketball. Drafted by the Shell Turbo Chargers in 1989, Benjie-also known as "The Tower of Power"-stunned basketball fanatics with his excellent ball-handling skills, powerful rebounds and shot-blocks. And his intimidating presence on the hard court. Although Shell did not win any title during that season, Benjie's feats didn't go unnoticed; he was made Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. He is the only player to ever accomplish these recognitions in a single season. Benjie Paras' reign ended in 1999 with another MVP title under his belt. Plagued by injuries, he only played 44 games from 2000-2002. Paras, at 34, finally decided to retire before the opening of the 2003 PBA season. He left behind a legacy though, with over nine recognitions including a 5-time Mythical First Team Selection, eight-time PBA All-Star, and PBA's 25 Greatest Players of All Time. The Sport. Probably the most popular and inexpensive sport in the Philippines, basketball only requires a hoop, a basketball, a couple of friends and some skill. Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by throwing a ball through a 10 foot (3 m) high hoop (the goal) under organized rules. Points are scored by passing the ball through the basket from above; the team with more points at the end of the game wins. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it (dribbling) or passing it between teammates. Disruptive physical contact (fouls) is not permitted and there are restrictions on how the ball can be handled (violations). Through time, basketball has developed to involve common techniques of shooting, passing and dribbling, as well as players' positions, and offensive and defensive structures. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. In some countries, basketball is also a popular spectator sport. While competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played on a basketball court, less regulated variations have become exceedingly popular as an outdoor sport among both inner city and rural groups. New Blood. Robin Padilla, Cesar Montano, and Aga Muhlach are catching attention in their favorite sports. These health-conscious celebs all show promise in their chosen field while enjoying themselves and raking up benefits. Robin, Cesar, and Aga openly promote their hobby, inspiring fans and showbiz colleagues to follow suit and excel in their chosen sport. Robin Padilla's dedication in developing his Muay Thai skills proved beneficial to the action star's discipline and down-to-earth attitude. He actively promotes the sport to everyone; even his kids love it. Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a hard martial art that uses kicks and punches by hands, shins, elbows, and knees. - Philippine Entertainment Portal