A gold medal is nothing compared to a heart of gold. Roger Casugay should know.
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The Filipino surfer insists he’s no hero. But everyone who watched him compete in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games disagrees. A mishap during the Philippines-based competition left Roger with two choices. He could either beat his opponent or sacrifice the win to help someone else. He didn’t have to think twice.
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On December 6, Roger took on Arip Nurhidayat in the men’s longboard event. That’s when Arip’s ankle leash broke. The Indonesian surfer lost his board as massive waves hit.
But for Roger, all thoughts of winning left his head as he paddled to the rescue.
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Roger pulled his rival out of the water and the two made their way back to shore on one board. There, Roger was hailed a hero. But Roger says it isn’t true.
“I didn’t really save him from drowning. He is a good swimmer. I just calmed him down,” Roger explained.
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The way Roger sees it, it was more of a no-brainer than an act of heroism – a duty to uphold.
“We have a brotherhood in surfing,” he told CNN Philippines. “If someone needs help, you go. I didn’t think about winning and [am] just relieved that we were both safe. We were overjoyed when we reached the shore.”
But for everyone there, the selfless act speaks for itself.
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To add a cherry on top, Roger got another shot at victory. Following the rescue, the event was postponed to the next day. Roger won the rematch and went on to defeat fellow Filipino surfer Rogelio Esquivel in the final, earning the Philippines its first gold medal!
Congratulations, Roger!
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While Roger won’t accept the title of savior, we’re sure he’d agree that compassion always wins. There’s nothing more valuable than kindness – certainly not a gold medal.
Share this story as an example of what true sportsmanship is all about.
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