SEA Games: Filipino diver mocked for zero-point dive comes back with perfect retort
PUBLISHED ONJune 12, 2015 7:30 AMByLee Min KokCharmaine Ng
SINGAPORE - A Filipino diver who became a laughing stock online after a video of his failed dive went viral, has come back with a retort worthy of a perfect 10.
Local humour site SGAG uploaded a clip of John David Pahoyo's botched attempt in the men's 3m springboard event on Facebook late on Wednesday night, which has racked up more than 1.1 million views and over 10,000 likes in just under a day.
Among those who found the post funny was none other than Pahoyo himself. But more than just being able to laugh about it, the 17-year-old said that it was important to not only laugh at yourself, but also pick oneself up and try and try again.
In a reply to the SGAG video posted in the comments section that drew close to 4,000 likes, he said: "I even laughed at myself after I did this dive hehe.
"But after all this was not the first time I failed a dive, and I was not the first one who did so. And I am still proud because not all of us has the privilege to represent our own country to such a big sporting event like this. And by the way can I ask all of you if you can still smile after getting embarrassed in front of thousands of people?"
The 17-year-old also posted a video of him and compatriot John Elmerson Fabriga executing a successful dive in the men's synchronised 3m springboard on his own Facebook page, with the caption "Why share our failed dives when you can share the dives that we did well?"
SGAG's 82-second video starts off with Fabriga attempting his fourth dive on the 3m springboard at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on June 6, which ends in embarrassing fashion after he landed on his back with a huge splash.
Fabriga is then followed by Pahoyo, who emulates his good friend and partner by executing a near-exact copy of the failed dive.
Both received a zero for their attempts. They eventually finished the event in the last two positions after six dives.
The majority of netizens who saw the post poked fun at both men, although a vocal minority defended them.
The duo, however, could be in trouble for their poor performances, with Philippine Sport Commission chairman Richie Garcia reportedly seeking an explanation from the country's aquatics chief Mark Joseph.
"I will give the opportunity for the Philippine Swimming Inc. president to explain because he fought for these divers to come here and compete," Garcia told Filipino website Inquirer.net.
He also questioned if they did it on purpose.
AFP reported that there were poor showings as well from competitors in the women's 10m platform event, as several landed awkwardly in the water despite choosing to dive from lower heights. Competitors had the option to jump from either 7.5m or 5m as well, although that meant that they earned fewer points.
mklee@sph.com.sg
ngxtc@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on June 11, 2015.
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