• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A 10-year-old boy from Cadiz City, a victim of a rare Phocomelia disease, grabbed three gold in swimming at the paragames in the ongoing Western Visayas Regional Athletic (VWRAA) Meet 2024 hosted by Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.
Dubbed the WVRAA “swimming sensation,” Zach Lucas Obsioma, a Level 5 student at Special Education (SPED) Tranining Center in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, has became a sort of a celebrity at the swimming venue at St. John’s Institute (SJI) in Talisay City.
Zach ,who has very tiny feet due to Phocomelia syndrome, really showed fearlessness and was thus peerless during his matches on May 3 to 5.
Phocomelia syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly where the proximal aspect of an extremity is absent, with the hand or foot attached directly to the trunk. With tiny feet, Zach uses a skateboard for his daily mobility, according to a statement issued by the Cadiz City government.
However, the Max Fermales and Lyn Rabuya mentored tanker still won three gold medals in the following swimming events of the WVRAA 2024 Para Games: 50-meter backstroke on May 3, 50-meter breaststroke on May 4, and 50-meter freestyle on May 5.
Second in a brood of three, Zach, who was born on August 16, 2013, and raised in Barangay Zone 3, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, started to show interest in swimming only last year.
The late Cherill Ducay, SPED-Cadiz City coordinator, was the one who enticed Zach to venture into swimming, rather than football, his first choice.
After just more than two months of training in swimming, Zach competed and prevailed during the Palarong Panlalawigan in Negros Occidental, all the way to the WVRRA in Aklan, and Palarong Pambansa in Marikina City last year.
Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said he was elated with Zach’s fearlessness despite his physical disability.
Hauling three golds in the WVRAA Meet is an extraordinary feat for a person with disability (PWD) like Zach, thus, worthy of commendation, Escalante said.
He added that Zach is Cadiz’s young sport icon, symbolizing persistence and resilience.
Last year, the Cadiz City government gifted Zach a laptop after he also shone in Palarong Pambansa para games.
“This time, I don’t know yet what to give him after raising anew SPED Cadiz’s flag in WVRAA 2024,” Escalante said, adding, “Zach’s is truly beyond emulation.”
Zach’s mom, Maria Evita, said that she is so happy with her son’s performance in copping three gold medals
She thanked Fermales and Rabuya for their patience and dedication in training and mentoring Zach at Laura’s Beach Resort in Cadiz City almost every day.
She is also grateful for the all-out support given by the local government of Cadiz for Zach and the rest of Cadiz athletes who were included in the WVRAA 2024.*
