MANILA, Philippines – Love thrives on widespread floor.
For basketball participant Dalph Panopio, 25, and impediment course racer Kaizen dela Serna, 23, it’s their shared enthusiasm to excel and characterize the nation — the 2 being champions of their respective sports activities.
Simply final December, Panopio received a Southeast Asian Video games gold medal as he helped Gilas Pilipinas defend its crown following an unbeaten run capped by a gritty 70-64 win over host Thailand within the finale.
Panopio delivered on his assure to get the identical {hardware} as Dela Serna, who additionally captured a SEA Video games gold medal as a part of the combined group help quartet when impediment course racing made its debut within the regional showpiece in 2019.
“It was so humorous as a result of he noticed it in my home, my medal. He was like, ‘Oh, what’s this medal for?’ I used to be like, ‘Oh, I received gold within the SEA Video games.’ He was like, ‘In the future, I’ll get this medal additionally.’ He mentioned that earlier than he obtained within the SEA Video games,” mentioned Dela Serna.
“I really like that he walks no matter he talks. If he needs to pursue one thing or he needs to realize one thing, he’s actually going to place within the work to do it. I like how onerous he works and the way he actually does the whole lot to realize his targets.”
Panopio solely obtained a affirmation of his SEA Video games participation lower than two weeks earlier than the competitors because the nationwide group scrambled to place a roster collectively attributable to Thai organizers’ flip-flopping on eligibility guidelines.
He proved to be serviceable, placing up averages of 6.3 factors, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists within the 4 video games the Philippines performed.
Being round Dela Serna, who as soon as held the ladies’s 100m world report in 2022 and earned bronze within the 2023 OCR World Championships in the US, has pushed Panopio to attempt for the perfect.
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“She was already successful loads, so I used to be like, ‘When you’re successful loads and you continue to wish to win extra, how do you do this?’ Seeing that in actual life, it made me actually disciplined, and affected person, and hardworking. I feel that’s one thing that I actually admire, and I might say I copy from her. I attempt to be extra like that,” mentioned Panopio.
Bonded by adversity
Whereas the 2 have every carved out their very own successes, it was throughout one of many lowest factors of their careers that they cast a bond: whereas they have been each recovering from accidents.
Panopio, then coping with again points, and Dela Serna, who was nursing an ankle damage, met in late 2024 via a typical power and conditioning coach.
“It was God’s timing. You couldn’t actually say that there was going to be an opportunity that we have been going to fulfill,” Panopio mentioned.
Dela Serna, who additionally fashions, shortly caught Panopio’s eyes. It didn’t take lengthy for the PBA rookie to make his transfer.
“I assumed he was pleasant. I didn’t wish to exit with him as a result of, you recognize, the stereotypes of basketball gamers. I used to be like, ‘I don’t wish to date a basketball participant.’ I used to be probably not as . However then, after I obtained to know him, he was good. So, I used to be like, ‘I’ll give it a shot,’” Dela Serna mentioned.
Courting elite athletes comes with its personal set of challenges.
Their demanding schedules typically go away little time for leisure, with many spending most of their days in coaching or within the fitness center. Relaxation can also be essential because the physique wants restoration to keep away from accidents and obtain peak athletic efficiency.
Furthermore, elite athletes must take care of the fixed strain to ship favorable outcomes and face disappointment when expectations will not be met.
So, for each Panopio and Dela Serna, it pays to have somebody who not solely acknowledges their struggles but in addition experiences them.
“You perceive one another when it comes to time,” mentioned Dela Serna. “We each know our wants. Once I prepare, after I compete, he tells me, ‘Oh, you need to repair this.’ He’s like a coach as a result of he is aware of the fundamental information of being an athlete.”
“It really works each methods for each of us. And the psychological facet additionally. I really like how he motivates me and actually encourages me to push. He is aware of what to say in order that I really feel like extra motivated and extra impressed to win in competitions.”
When Dela Serna injured her shoulder through the 2025 OCR World Championships in Sweden and required surgical procedure for the primary time in her profession, it was Panopio who helped her navigate and courageous that unfamiliar territory.
Panopio knew how robust it was to go below the knife, having had operations for ankle and thumb accidents prior to now.
“He already prepped me mentally, like, ‘Oh, it is perhaps tough to return, it’s going to be a problem.’ On the similar time, after the surgical procedure, I bear in mind he was actually there for me, like helping me, as a result of I had a solid and I couldn’t transfer my arms, so he would feed me, he would brush my hair,” Dela Serna mentioned.
“That was actually candy for him to do.”
Generally, that’s all it takes in relationships — to be current.
“I understood it takes a whole lot of time and sacrifice whenever you get injured. I had a sense that it wasn’t going to be straightforward for Kaizen to have a surgical procedure, particularly because it was going to be her first one,” Panopio mentioned.
“Seeing Kaizen in that state of affairs, I used to be simply making an attempt to present her as many suggestions as I may, like mentally, and be there for her as assist.”
Because the couple have fun their first anniversary in March, Panopio and Dela Serna strategy the milestone with extra maturity and a deeper appreciation for one another.
“Our relationship additionally had some ups and downs. The yr was quick. I feel the optimistic factor about it, even when we had like down moments, we obtained to stay collectively and had the power and the need to repair these issues and be there for one another,” Panopio mentioned.
And naturally, the hope is to finish up collectively.
“I feel no relationship is ideal. However what I like about one another is we have been in a position to stick via it, and we have been in a position to study from our errors and be higher folks for ourselves and for one another. I’m hoping that we final so long as we are able to – endlessly, possibly,” Dela Serna mentioned with a chuckle. – Rappler.com
