Former teen Azkal Kieth Absalon killed in bomb explosion

Kieth Absalon had a stellar high school career, but his journey was cut short by a bomb explosion. Mia Montayre/UAAP (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The Far Eastern University community is in deep sorrow as one of its promising footballers met his untimely passing during a bomb explosion in his hometown.

Midfielder Kieth Absalon was among two people who were killed on Sunday when a reported improvised explosive device was detonated while they were biking in Barangay Anas, Masbate City, the other being his cousin Nolven.

Kieth Absalon, who was born right on the very first day of the millennium, was 21.

Absalon was a member of the under-19 Azkals team that competed in the 2018 AFF U-18 Championships.

Prior to that, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2016 UAAP juniors football tournament after leading the Baby Tamaraws to the championship that year.

Absalon scored a goal during FEU-FERN's 6-1 mauling of Ateneo in the final.

Following his stellar high school career, Absalon was quickly inserted to the Tamaraws' starting lineup right in his freshman year for the 2020 UAAP men's football event, but his stint was short lived as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the said tournament.

"The FEU Tamaraw community is deeply saddened by the passing away of Kieth Absalon of the FEU Men's Football Team... one of the best high school players in UAAP football history," FEU said in a statement.

The school added, "Kieth's toughness on the field and constant smiles off it will be truly be missed by his brothers in the men's football team and the entire FEU community."

Absalon was also juggling his amateur career with Malaya FC, leading the club to the 2019 Youth Football League under-19 title and winning the MVP award in the process too

"[He was] a born leader, always motivating and inspiring his U-19 teammates even at their lowest during their games," Malaya remembers its former star in another statement.

The club further said, "[We offer] our prayers for Kieth's eternal repose, for comfort and strength to the Absalon Family, and for justice to be served."

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