Bigger things have been lined up for Olympian Mary Joy Tabal after winning the woman’s marathon gold for Philippines in Putrajaya on Saturday – Philippines first gold in the 29th Sea Games.
The 28-year-old Tabal broke down in tears soon after crossing the finishing line and said: “I hope my gold will inspire others to win gold.”
Tabal, who won the silver medal in the same event at the last Sea Games in Singapore in 2015, clocked 2:48.26 for her gold medal.
Vietnam’s Hoang Thi Thanh was a distant second with a time 2:55.43 for the silver while Thailand’s Natthaya Thanaronnawat, the defending champion, could only manage a bronze (2:58.17).
“This is for my country and the people of the Philippines. I ran my heart out and I hope it will fire the rest of the Philippines athletes to win medals,” added Tabal, with a country’s wrapped around her shoulders.”
For the KL2017 the Filipina trained in Italy and Switzerland after she was reinstated in the Philippine team following her appeal after she was initially left out of the Sea Games squad. Tabal had quit the Philippine team after the Rio Olympics to go on her own in pursuit of her athletics career.
Philippines Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Philip Ella brought more good news for Tabal after her win and said Tabal will be rewarded with 500 million pesos for her win.
“There will be special training for Tabal, both local and overseas. It will be the same for some of the medal winners who will be medal prospects in the Asian Games (in Indonesia 2018) with an eye on the Tokyo Olympics,” said Ella.
Tabal is the first female marathoner from the Philippines to have run in the Olympics and this was at the Rio Olympics in Brazil last year. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
MARATHON RESULTS
WOMEN
- Tabal Mary Joy Reyes (Phi) 2:48.26
- Hoang Thi Thanh (Vie) 2:55.43
- Natthaya Thanaronnawat (Tha) 2:58.17
