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Blind boy fulfills dream of becoming an athlete through goal ball

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Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="John Dave Bughao plays goal ball, a sport made specifically for visually handicapped persons. Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/07/20230807-bnlind.jpg"/><figcaption>John Dave Bughao plays goal ball, a sport made specifically for visually handicapped persons. <em>Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - John Dave Bughao wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a basketball player. But an accident rendered him completely blind at 5 years old.</p><p>But John did not give up on his dreams of becoming an athlete like his father who played for commercial leagues in Davao. John may be blind but it is clear he wants to be a sportsman.</p><p>“Nung nakakakita pa mata ko, gusto ko talaga is basketball player. Basketball player papa ko sa commercial league na inspire ako sa kanya,” he said.</p><p>Then came a sport made specifically for visually handicapped persons like John. It’s called goal ball.</p><p>In this game, two teams of three players each face each other across a court that is 9 meters wide and 18 meters long. The object of the game is to roll a basketball-sized ball with bells inside over the opponent&#x27;s goal line. The opponents listen for the oncoming ball and attempt to block it with their bodies.</p><p>Complete silence is key in this game, as any kind of outside noise will distract the players.</p><p>John Dave participated in this year’s Palarong Pambansa and represented Region 11 in goal ball. He said this was his chance of making a name in sports like his father.</p><p>Hampered by cramps, he played in the bronze medal game against the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao team and they won.</p><p>He recalled a crucial point during the match.</p><p>“Sa aming mga &#x27;di nakakakita, talaga specialty namin is pandinig. Kung gaano katibay o katalas ang pandinig at gaano ka kabilis gumalaw. Kasi may mga iba sir na katulad kanina may tumira ng mahina, buti nahuli ko pa,” he explained.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/01/23/mrt-3-offers-free-rides-to-blind-visually-impaired-passengers">MRT-3 offers free rides to blind, visually-impaired passengers</a></li></ul><p>John said they may have come up short of the gold medal game but bringing home a bronze medal is just as good.</p><p>“Kahit third place kami, proud ako madala ko &#x27;yung Region 11,&quot; he said.</p><p>Now at age 25, this was his last Palarong Pambansa stint. But his hunger for competition does not stop here as he plans to join the tryouts for the goal-ball national team.</p><div><br/><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2584278" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

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Blind boy fulfills dream of becoming an athlete through goal ball

Jeck Batallones,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 07, 2023 10:34 PM PHT

Read More:

John Dave Bughao

goal ball

basketball

PWD

Palarong Pambansa

Palarong Pambansa 2023

Palaro

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