KUALA LUMPUR—After winning the gold medal in the women’s marathon of the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Mary Joy Tabal will remain in the Malaysian capital to play a new role—cheerleader.
Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) President Philip Ella Juico said the petite Cebuana runner agreed to stay behind to cheer her teammates, who will see action in various athletics events starting Tuesday.
Juico, a former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman, said agreeing to support and bond with her teammates in this very crucial period is such a good gesture, especially because she trained in Cebu and overseas most of the time.
The PSC stands to pay for the athletes’ accommodation two days before and one day after the SEA Games, Asian Games and other major international tournaments.
But in Tabal’s case, the federation agreed to shoulder her accommodation for the rest of the week so that she can spend some quality time with foreign-based and Manila-based teammates.
“It’s good that she agreed to stay here. At least she can get to cheer her teammates and spend some quality time with them,” said Juico, who is looking to surpass their five gold-medal production two years ago in Singapore.
Tabal, a four-time Milo Marathon champion, had a rocky relationship with Patafa.
She quit the federation shortly after winning the silver medal in the Singapore SEA Games in 2015 so she could move her training back to Cebu.
She sought reinstatement last year after qualifying for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but opted to quit again after having some disagreements with top federation officials over her training program.
Finally, she’s back.
And with a shiny gold medal hanging from her neck, it appears that the wounds of the past were finally healed.