AT JUST 20 years old, Kristine Madeline Salomon Ibag of Davao City made her debut at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, representing the Philippines in archery. A fourth-year Sports Science student at the University of the Philippines Mindanao, Ibag said her first Southeast Asian (SEA) Games experience taught her as much about mental resilience as it did about her sport.
“I really had fun during my first SEA Games experience, even though our training period was quite short,” she told SunStar Davao in a Messenger. “I could feel that my performance was slowly getting back to its peak, which gave me confidence.”
Ibag, the middle child of three, recalled the intense pressure she felt during the qualifying rounds. “I had to remind myself that the wind is my friend. I started panicking, and I became too focused on the results, forgetting my proper shooting sequence. In archery, we call that target panic,” she said.
Encouraged by her team captain, Ibag pushed through and delivered a strong performance during the team event, a moment she calls the most memorable of her SEA Games debut. “At first, I was scared, but I accepted the challenge with a brave heart. I’m really happy because I was able to make a comeback,” she said.
Ibag first picked up archery at age 11 after practicing arnis under the guidance of her father, Michael Ibag, a DepEd teacher. “My father encouraged me to try archery because there are no weight restrictions,” she said. Initially, she found the sport slow compared with the adrenaline of arnis. But joining the Davao Archery Club and training under Coach Arnold Stoney Rojas, a decorated international archer, transformed her approach. “Coach Arnold is my idol. When he became my coach, my performance and scores improved significantly. Since then, archery became more than just a sport for me, it became my passion,” she said.
Ibag’s national and international achievements include multiple gold medals in the Philippine National Archery Championships, Philippine Archery Cup, and ASEAN Youth Archery Championship, along with several new Philippine records. Her consistent performance earned her a spot on this year’s national team despite a challenging academic schedule as a graduating student.
“To prepare for the SEA Games, I filed a Leave of Absence this semester because national team training was held in Manila for two months,” she said. “Balancing academics and training was challenging, but I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
She dedicates every shot and every competition to her family, her coach, and her faith. “I play for my family who has supported me, and above all, for the Lord, for all the blessings, opportunities, and guidance He has given me,” she said. “I carry their trust and support with me every time I compete.”
Looking ahead, Ibag’s ultimate goal is simple but powerful: “To have fun in every competition and keep improving. Archery is my passion, and I want to follow in the footsteps of Coach Arnold while making my own mark.” MLSA