Baby 920 – Sharlet Gallarde

Charles Kettering once said that “high achievement takes place in the framework of high expectation.”This quote crossed my mind  after meeting Sharlet Gallarde through a good friend who happens to be her uncle.

Sharlet Gallarde goes by the name “Baby 920” when she is inside the track. At only 12 years old and at 7th Grade, she has already participated in more than 50 motocross racing competitions in Negros and Cebu, as well as won in major motorcycling events.  Most recently, she also landed as the Champion during the Ladies Open and also the 85cc Category during the San Carlos City Negros Occidental Charter Day on June 30, 2018.

More Photos here

Some of the Major Races where Sharlet Gallarde participated in and won are as follows:

• Sipalay 2016                       –  Champion Ladies Open
• San Remigio Cebu               – Champion Ladies Open
• Calambuwa Cebu                 – Champion 85 CC
• Sibonga Cebu                      –  2nd 85CC, 2nd Ladies Open
• Sagay city Fiesta                         –  2nd Ladies Open
• Mabinay Negros Oriental    –  Champion Ladies Open, 2nd 85cc

Her fondness for racing traces back to the time when she would tag along with her father, Shaq Montecillo Gallarde, who carried the codename “Papa920” while on his 5-year stint in racing.  Sharlet was 8 years old when she got hold of KTM 65CC as her first bike. She rode this bike during the Bacolaodiat Festival in Bacolod where she won 4th place. Yet, she is not one to rest on her laurel as a 4th placer and since then, has been showing up almost every day while being mentored by her father.

Photots from Shartlet Facebook

Apart from her father, part of her influencer is also in the fact that she and her family live in Sagay City, where there’s a yearly motocross event organized by the City itself, the Negros Occidental Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NOMSSA) and Sagay-Cadiz offroader. I even recall being part of the very first event motocross event held in 2000 as Medic, being a nurse by profession. The said events helped to develop the talents of young, aspiring riders of  the City when it comes to off-road motorcycle sports. After the event, they still leave the race track where many local riders can continue to practice.

With Janelle Saulog

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Apart from this, she also underwent training with Jovie Saulog, one of the legends in motocross, to develop her skills in cornering. Jovie Saulog is also known for his father-daughter tendem with Janelle Saulog when it comes to motocross racing. Being Saulog’s understudy has inspired Sharlet to be a tandem of her own father as well.

Indeed, Sharlet is very fortunate to already know what she wants, and more so for having parents that allow her to revolve her activities around her passion zones. Perhaps it is not so hard to do, as her parents consider her an ideal child. “ She is endearing and makes it a point to help out in manning our store if she’s at home,” her mother Janet Gallarde proudly discloses how Sharlet would spend some of her time outside the track. While highly involved in everyday training and regular participation in competitions, she also never disregarded her studies and even managed to graduate with honors in elementary. “In the classroom, Sharlet has not failed to bring home academic medals that make us proud, especially in Math,” shares her mother.

Will we expect Sharlet to keep wearing her driving suits as she moves on to becoming a young adult? Most probably, if we gauge on what Sharlet dreams about: “My ultimate dream is to be able to compete in the AMA Motocross Championship.” Meanwhile, her mother also adds: “She also wants to be a chef someday.”

While the future remains to be seen, one thing for sure is that Sharlet is certainly one young lady who races through her dreams.

Words and Photos by: Kit Pilla