Ryan Tagumasi – the Champion

Tagumasi (second from left) with other athletes

            “Ang makasama ka. Hehe. Biro lang ‘te, ang maging isang gentleman na pulis,” says the man with a noble dream when asked what he sought for in life.  “Pinapatawa lang kita, haha, para iwas stress,” he added in a light spirited manner, exhibiting sense of humor.

           

            The potentials of this athlete have been visible at a young age: he started playing taekwondo when he was 12.  His talent in the sport landed him in competitions in which he consecutively represented his school in the division, regional, and national levels.  Prior to UCV, he has represented his school in the Palarong Pambansa duing his elementary and high school days.  “Malakas po kasi yata ang tsamba ko ‘te,” he laughingly said.

            The athlete’s name is first-dan Ryan Tagumasi, a 20-year-old senior Criminology student from Soldier’s Hill, Caggay, Tuguegarao City who recently emerged victorious in the sport of Taekwondo during the National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) held in Iloilo City this year.  Such a rare feat however was not exceedingly unexpected, considering Ryan’s reputation on the mat.

            Ryan’s achievement boasts a repertoire of continuous victories, from the local to the national level.  His three gold medals in Tuguegarao City and Cauayan City from 2013 to 2015 during the Regional PRISAA attest to his reputation.  During his freshman year in 2013, he won a bronze medal in the national level.  These past two years may be considered the zenith of his athleticism in which he became the back to back champion since his golden victory in Daval del Norte last year.

            People who have witnessed his fights consider him an expert in the sport, especially when they watch him hit the highest crucial point target – the head.  To rephrase, his favorite target is the head. Devastating.

            Ryan perceives himself as “a simple man who knows how to associate with people but hates dishonest people.”  When asked what his most difficult encounter in life was, he replied, “The hardest thing that I have encountered in my life is when my mom passed away, because I’m too close with her. She is my best friend, when trials are heavy, she’s always there for me, ready to lift me up even though sometimes there’s a misunderstanding between us, I still love her so much. I owe to her my every success in life.”

            Ryan is currently in his final year in college, which means that he will be taking the board examination soon.  Is he pressured?  “Yes, of course. I’m pressured because there’s a bit doubt that what if I can’t pass the board exam what will happen to me? But despite of that inadequate reason I’ll still strive and do all the possible things for me to be able to pass the board exam.”

            Definitely, because of his stint as a talented athlete, Ryan has gained the admiration of a lot of students in the university.  As a role model, he was asked what his message was to his fellow students, to which he said, “Just be yourself always and put your feet on the ground. And the most important thing is discipline. You should know when to do, not to do the things that can affect you and your game. Train hard, play easy and be happy.”  He added, “no matter what happens in life, be good to people because being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

(byGirlie Mariano)
Issue No.1;1st Semester, S.Y. 2015-2016