The individual training of the Philippine National Taekwondo Team is ongoing at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic.
The squad’s sparring sessions stopped after athlete training was limited by stricter health and travel protocols imposed on the National Capital Region and its surrounding provinces.
Rio De Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics taekwondo jin Kirstie Elaine Alora maintained that they just need to focus on the limited training.
“Lagi ko rin sinasabi sa sarili ko na training lang. Training-training lang focus namin. Paminsan mapapaisip ka, para saan ‘yung training mo. But for me, okey naman. Kailangan naming tibayan ‘yung isip namin. What if kung ‘di matuloy? Di ba mas mahirap kung hindi kami ready, compared to prepared kami tapos natuloy ‘yung tournament?” Alora said.
[I always tell myself to go on training. Training is all we focus on. Sometimes I wonder what all this training is for. We have to mentally prepare and toughen our minds. What if it will not push through? Won’t it be much harder if we are not ready, compared to us being prepared if the tournament pushes through?]
While the 31-year-old Biñan, Laguna native is familiar with her contenders in the +73-kilogram weight class of the qualifying tournament, she admitted that it is more challenging for her this time.
“Feeling ko mas tough. Siempre di ko alam, sila ba sa ibang countries maluwag protocols nila, na last year pa sila pwede mag-prepare. Di ko alam if naka-bubble sila…Last year naman talagang…nag-work hard ako para ma-maintain ko dapat ma-maintain. Talagang sabi ko, di ako pwedeng tumaba nang tumaba lang. Need ko i-maintain weight ko,” Alora said.
[I feel that it will be tougher. Of course, I do not know if they had lax protocols in other countries last year that allowed them to prepare. I am not sure if they are in a bubble…Last year, I really worked hard to maintain what I should maintain. I really told myself that I should not gain more weight. I need to maintain my weight.]
While keeping fit at the Calambubble, Alora and the other Philippine team taekwondo jins are waiting for the go-signal from the Philippine Taekwondo Association before flying to Amman, Jordan for the Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament, which will be held from May 21 to 23.
Report by Ma. Isabel Reyes/JBB-jlo
