Benildean trackster looks forward to ’17 SEA Games
IN JUST short a time, Isabela province native Julian Reem Fuentes has achieved a lot in the sport of athletics. But he is not about done, still eyeing heights to climb, including making waves in the Southeast Asian Games later this year.
Standing out in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa, Mr. Fuentes is slowly but surely etching his name in collegiate competitions as a member of the College of St. Benilde Blazers athletics team, including at one time holding the national record for the long jump at 7.42 meters during the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA) track and field competition.
He has complemented his collegiate success with different achievements in events both here and abroad as a part of the national team, like winning gold at the Singapore Open 2015.
Like a true athlete, however, the Computer Applications major recognizes that he needs to continue to improve to achieve his full potential.
“Every time I join a tournament, I aim high, all the way to the top,” Mr. Fuentes shared to BusinessWorld, describing the kind of mind- set he has during competitions.
And part of it is training hard and coming in prepared each time.
To achieve this, the athlete said he stays in tip- top shape, sticking to a grueling daily schedule of training from 6 a. m. to 9 a. m. from Monday to Saturday. He focuses on strengthening his leg power, which he deems crucial as he competes in five athletic events, namely, 100- meter dash, javelin, triple jump, 4x1 relay, and long jump.
STUDENT-ATHLETE
While he is progressing steadily as an athlete, Mr. Fuentes has not forgotten being a “student” in student-athlete, recognizing it balances things for him to become a well-rounded person, including boosting his self-esteem.
“I have bumped into a lot of people at the games, and I have learned how to interact with high- profile personalities who I’ve only dreamt of meeting,” he said.
This is apart from helping unburden his family of paying for his education, added Mr. Fuentes, who counts an older brother as inspiration for taking a liking to athletics.
For 2017, Mr. Fuentes said his eyeing keenly the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in August, looking at it as another stepping stone to fulfill his dream of being an Olympian.
And Mr. Fuentes is banking on the experience he has had as a member of the national team for added boost in his Games bid.
“All my opponents [in international competitions] have been really good. But our coach always reminds us to believe in ourselves, to have confidence. With such an attitude, you can easily win all your events,” he said.
Kuala Lumpur 2017 will be the 29th edition of the biennial regional meet. It marks the sixth time that Malaysia will play host to the event.
In 2015 in the Singapore SEA Games, Thailand emerged as the overall champion with 95 gold, 83 silver and 69 bronze medals while the Philippines was sixth with 29 gold, 36 silver and 66 bronze medals. Five of the gold medals of the country came from athletics. —