Sports

Back-to-back SEA Games champ misses mom’s ComVal home

Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan

MANILA -- Back-to-back Southeast Asian (SEA) Games judo gold medalist Filipino-Japanese Mariya Takahashi misses her friends and relatives in her mother’s hometown in Maragusan, Compostela Valley, whom she has not visited for the past seven years now.

The 18-year-old ace, who also scooped a women’s team bronze in the 30th SEA Games judo competition at the Laus Group Events Center in San Fernando, Pampanga, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao after paying PSC Chairman William I. Ramirez a courtesy visit, said, “I miss my friends and neighbors. I haven’t been home for seven years.” She considers her mother Lynlyn’s birthplace her home, too, although they have also resided for a few years in Panabo City where she studied first and second grades.

Their tight schedule would not allow them to visit ComVal as they will soon be flying back to Japan as Mariya also has to attend her classes.

She also said that she finds her second SEA Games experience “very happy” having delivered an individual gold and a team bronze for the Philippines.

In the women’s team event, Philippines outlasted Malaysia, 3-2, for the bronze.

Takahashi beat her fourth match opponent Shahabudain Siti Noor as her teammates Ma. Jeanalane Lopez and Megumi Delgado also demolished Malaysians Goh Xuan Le and Nik Azman Nik, respectively.

Filipinos Khrizzie Pabulayan and Ryoko Salinas, however, lost their matches.

“This is my first tournament in the Philippines and I am the defending champion. I felt the pressure (laughs),” she added in Nihonggo, which was translated by her mother.

She vowed to train harder to defend her SEA Games gold in 2021.

Although she wanted to play in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she still has to earn more points to up her world ranking.

Lynlyn said, “Yan yung pinag-usapan namin ni Chairman Ramirez na susuportahan nila na makapag-compete pa si Mariya sa mga international tournaments para makaipon ng points. Ranking points kasi kailangan para makapaglaro sa Olympics.”

They hope she could finally get her shot at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

After the interview, Mariya urged her mother that they go to Jollibee for lunch as she was craving for cheesburger, chicken, iced tea and spaghetti.

“I love Jollibee!” Mariya beamed.

Lynlyn smilingly added, “Wala pamiy nakitang Jollibee sa Japan man gud.”

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