By REY BANCOD
March 3, 2010, 7:06pm
It's smiles like these that endeared the three world poomsae champions to guests and fellow athletes at the PSA Awards Night at the Manila Hotel Monday night. From left, Camille Alarailla, Janice Lagman, and Rani Ann Ortega. (Photo by RICHARD VIÑAS)
They came, they saw, they rocked.
The moment the three goddesses of poomsae walked the red carpet on their way to the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel Monday night, the affair burst into life.
Like bees to honey, photographers and television crew personnel mobbed Janice Lagman, Camille Alarilla and Rani Ann Ortega, who arrived in strapless, body-hugging gowns.
Since winning the world poomsae team crown in Cairo, Egypt late last year, the three cousins have become overnight sensations, turning a life of anonymity into stardom unseen since track heroine Lydia de Vega conquered the nation in the '80s.
The three taekwondo blackbelters have guested on television, granted radio interviews, graced magazine covers and tossed the ceremonial ball in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Finals.
On Monday, the lovely trio added glamour to the annual awards night of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) as they joined billiards hero Rubilen Amit and long jump queen Marestella Torres in receiving the prestigious Athlete of the Year awards.
The program could not start on time as TV crews gathered around the celebrated cousins while photographers fired away with their cameras.
It was a scene that would be repeated several times while the affair was ongoing, almost disrupting the two-hour proceedings.
Their presence more than made up for the absence of Manny Pacquiao, the star of past PSA awards nights. But even Pacquiao, used to adulation and paparrazi treatment, could have played second fiddle to the three beauties who stole the show with their glowing and incandescent bearing.
All three attended high school at Miriam, but finished college education in different schools.
Lagman, 22, is a registered nurse from Trinity College of Asia, Alarilla, 22, is a business management graduate at Ateneo de Manila while Ortega, 23, has a sports science degree from University of the Philippines.
In a message posted at Facebook, Alarilla thanked the PSA for the recognition given to all the athletes in the country.
"Tired of smiling. Face muscles ko sumasakit na," wrote Alarilla who was overwhelmed by the huge reception.
Igor Mella, who has been coaching the three since they were young, said his students are aware of the perils that come with stardom.
After the three athletes won the country's first gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Laos last December, Mella said he discussed what it would be like when they come home.
"Definitely, taekwondo remains the top priority for them," said Mella. "Everything else will have to adjust."
Mella said the three train nightly for two and a half hours from Mondays to Fridays.
"Soon, we will begin conditioning in the morning," he said.
The three are set to defend their crown in the last quarter of the year. Uzbekistan and Vietnam are bidding to host the annual event.
One good thing that came out from their success, according to Mella, is that the three have learned the importance of a good night sleep.
"Because of their hectic schedule the next day, they have learned to sleep early," he said.
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