MANILA, Philippines – The 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) currently being hosted by the Philippines brought a lot of beautiful and heartwarming stories that brightened up many netizens’ day. But there are also stories of sadness and loss that made everyone sad.
One of these is the bittersweet story of a young Indonesian athlete who won gold medals in the competition, but received news of his father’s death soon afterwards…
Indonesian athlete Edgar Xavier Marvelo won golds for men's Gunshu and Daoshu events of Wushu held at the World Trade Center Building in Manila on Tuesday. He was still competing for his first gold in the men's Wushu Gunshu match when his team received news back home that Marvelo’s father died.
Feeling sorry for the athlete but knowing the news could distract his focus, the team did not immediately tell him about his father’s passing. They watched as he competed, with tears in their eyes.
Marvelo garnered the highest score in the event with 9.68 points to win the gold over his rivals, Si Wei Jowen L. of Singapore and Xuan Hiep Tran of Vietnam.
As the young athlete received his gold medal, his team cried. There were tears of joy and sadness on everyone’s eyes as Marvelo won the gold, but they felt sad that he lost his father. The young man broke down as he heard the bad news but knew that he had to keep his mind in the game in honor of his late dad.
So, despite competing with a heavy heart, he still banked on his many years of training to win another gold in individual Taolu Daoshu/Goshu number and also in group Dullian number. It’s the worst news anyone could hear and it dampened the celebratory atmosphere in the team, but Marvelo remains a strong athlete and dedicates his medals to his dad.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
One of these is the bittersweet story of a young Indonesian athlete who won gold medals in the competition, but received news of his father’s death soon afterwards…
 |
| Photo credit: SEA Games / Facebook |
Indonesian athlete Edgar Xavier Marvelo won golds for men's Gunshu and Daoshu events of Wushu held at the World Trade Center Building in Manila on Tuesday. He was still competing for his first gold in the men's Wushu Gunshu match when his team received news back home that Marvelo’s father died.
Feeling sorry for the athlete but knowing the news could distract his focus, the team did not immediately tell him about his father’s passing. They watched as he competed, with tears in their eyes.
 |
| Photo credit: SEA Games / Facebook |
Marvelo garnered the highest score in the event with 9.68 points to win the gold over his rivals, Si Wei Jowen L. of Singapore and Xuan Hiep Tran of Vietnam.
As the young athlete received his gold medal, his team cried. There were tears of joy and sadness on everyone’s eyes as Marvelo won the gold, but they felt sad that he lost his father. The young man broke down as he heard the bad news but knew that he had to keep his mind in the game in honor of his late dad.
 |
| Photo credit: Antara Photo / Nyoman Budhiana |
So, despite competing with a heavy heart, he still banked on his many years of training to win another gold in individual Taolu Daoshu/Goshu number and also in group Dullian number. It’s the worst news anyone could hear and it dampened the celebratory atmosphere in the team, but Marvelo remains a strong athlete and dedicates his medals to his dad.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
