Celso Dayrit was born on December 11, 1951, in Manila, Philippines. He learned fencing at age six and was trained by his father, Francisco Dayrit Sr. He attended the De La Salle University, obtaining a bachelor's degree in business management in 1973 and later obtained a master's degree in business administration in 1978 at La Salle Business School.[2]
Career
Banking
Shortly after graduating from college Dayrit served managerial positions in the banking industry. He started his banking career in 1973, joining the Philippine Commercial & Industrial Bank. He also became Vice President of the BPI Credit Corporation, at the time credit cards were still being introduced in the Philippines.[2]
Fencing career
Dayrit took up fencing as a competitive sport, partaking in various national and international competitions. He handled all three weapons in fencing; epée. foil, sabre. He represented the Philippines in international competitions from 1979 to 1988. At the 1987 Southeast Asian Games, he won a bronze medal. Dayrit was also given[by whom?] the Fencer of the Year Award for Epee in 1984.[2]
As a sports executive
Celso Dayrit led the Philippine Fencing Association, the national sports association for fencing in the Philippines from 1997 to 2008. Simultaneously, he served as the President of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) from 1999 to 2004.[3] In 2004, he made a bid for another term as POC President but withdrew his candidacy. Peping Cojuangco succeeded him.[4]
He also became the President of the Fencing Confederation of Asia in 2005, leading the continental sports body until his death in 2021. He was serving his fifth term as president of the FCA at the time of his death.[3]
Dayrit also has accreditation for being an International Course Director of the Olympic Solidarity Itinerant Administration School for sports leaders from the International Olympic Committee, being the only Filipino to have received the distinction.[6]
He also founded the Philippine Olympic Academy and the Philippine Olympians Association.[7]
Dayrit published a book entitled The Olympic Movement in the Philippines in 2003; which could serve as a reference for national sports association officials.[9]
Honors and awards
The Olympic Council of Asia gave him an award[specify] in 2007. He is also a recipient of the Olympic Merit Award in the 2006 which was conferred on him by the Association of National Olympic Committees. In 1999, he became the first Filipino to serve as head of the SEA Games Federation Executive Committee.[6] The International Fencing Federation (FIE) recognized him as a Member of Honour (MH) and he has been inducted to the FIE's Hall of Fame.[10]
Celso Dayrit comes from a family heavily involved in the sport of fencing with his father Francisco Sr. who founded the Philippine Amateur Fencers Association (now Philippine Fencing Association) in the 1930s and is known for being the "Father of Philippine Fencing".[6]
