Long jump queen Torres did not expect to break SEAG record

InterAKTV/Vic Adornado

PALEMBANG—If there’s one thing Marestella Torres has learned over the years, it is how to keep outside distractions from her mind while competing.

“Basta ang focus ko nasa event ko lang. Outside of that, bahala na sila doon,” said Torres after winning the Philippines’ first gold medal Saturday in the 26th Southeast Asian Games at the Main Stadium of the Jakabaring Sports City.

The 30-year-old San Jose, Negros Oriental native topped the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.71 meters that was both a new Philippine and SEA Games record. The feat stretched her winning streak in the biennial games to four starting in Manila 2005.

It was also sort of unexpected.

“Di ko kasi inaasahan dahil bago magpunta dito, mga 6.30-something lang ang itinatalon ko. Kaya di ako ganoon ka-kumpiyansa,” she said.

Her concerns were borne of the fact the RP tracksters’ training field was taken out when the Rizal Memorial Stadium was refurbished to make its football field up to international standards.

“Kaya tuloy kaming mga jumpers at throwers kung saan-saan napunta para makapag-training,” she bared. “Ako nga, Dumaguete, Baguio narating ko.”

Good thing a knowing soul in Laguna governor ER Ejercito took cognizance of the athletes’ plight and made them a mini-camp in Sta. Cruz where they stayed for two months leading up to these Games.

“Napakalaki talagang tulong ang ibinigay sa amin ni Gov. Ejercito at very thankful kami sa kanya,” said Torres.

Still, all those thoughts were farthest from her mind going into her favorite event, especially when she stepped on to the runway for her first attempt.

“Basta ang iniisip ko lang huwag mag-foul,” she related. “Di ko iniisip ang distance, di ko iniisip ang record. Mas maganda pala iyon dahil kusang ibinibigay. Parang kung talagang darating ibinibigay.”

Torres was already close to her old national and meet record of 6.68m set in Laos 2009 after notching 6.65 on the first of what could be as many as six tries. That should have given her the gold right there as eventual second-placer Maria Natalia Londa of Indonesia’s best was 6.47m and Games first-timer Katherine Khay Santos, also of the Philippines, could only come up with a 6.25 for the bronze.

Yet Torres plodded on. “Gusto kong tapusin lahat ng jumps ko. Parang respeto na rin sa mga kalaban ko,” she explained.

Not even a foul on her second attempt could derail Torres’ purpose as the Physical Education graduate from Far Eastern U calmly collected herself and made her record-setting leap.

She went on to foul her fourth and fifth attempts before making another good jump on her last.

The celebrations on the Philippine side has started long before that and even Torres admitted her thoughts have started drifting away from the approach area and sand pit two jumps earlier.

“Alam ko na kasing I have done my part,” she said.

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