Jenelyn Olsim’s biggest triumph
TEAM Lakay lady warrior Jenelyn Olsim is living the life these days.
Not only has the 25-year-old Benguet native returned to the winning column in ONE Championship by edging out Brazilian grappler Julie Mezabarba in ONE: 158 Tawanchai vs Larsen. She had also brought honor to the country by capturing a bronze medal for vovinam in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games last May.
But it seems the always smiling, always calm and levelheaded lass is proudest of what she has accomplished after her triumph at Sóc Sơn District Sporting Hall in Hanoi and the ONE Circle in Singapore. She now has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Baguio.
To think that she did not put her studies on hold even while training continuously for both the SEA Games and ONE Championship is a big wow. Earning a degree is a tough challenge on its own. Couple that with physical preparations of the toughest kind for her chosen sport and you must admire this young lady for her focus and determination.
Jenelyn competed in kickboxing and vovinam in Hanoi. “I made small adjustments and did additional training to incorporate vovinam into my MMA training,” Jenelyn explained.
Vovinam is Vietnamese martial arts that uses the hands, elbows, legs, knees and weapons like swords, knives, chisels, claws and fans. The Vietnamese created the sport as a reaction to colonialism. Its attack moves are more explosive. The blows are brutal and quick and focus on power and speed instead of elegance and finesse.
Jenelyn defeated Laos’ Male Chantalacksa, 4-3, in the SEA Games vovinam eliminations and went on to bring home the bronze in the women’s -55 kgs division.
She made an easy transition back to MMA 10 days later, using power kicks and takedowns on Mezabarba, overpowering her opponent with stellar offense and grappling skils. She won by just a slight margin, however. Still, she won.
Olsim got to live out her SEA Games, ONE and scholastic dreams, all in one seamless universe.
“I think I’m living the life that I want and I’m happy about it,” she admitted.
Though she confessed there were times when it got really hectic. “I knew I had to fully focus, get organized, and strictly follow my schedule. When things get too distracting, I reset things and I’m back in my focused state,” she explained.
Finding balance was a big challenge, she revealed, so there were sacrifices to be made. “(But) whenever I felt that my stress was building up, I always thought of the why’s and of what I’ve been doing in my career. I experienced when things just snowballed and everything was happening all at once. But I’m so proud that I didn’t stop. I pursued my studies and got my degree. It feels uplifting and empowering,” she said triumphantly.
Olsim said she regularly discussed her studies and martial arts career with Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao. Sangiao and Eduard Folayang are her inspiration and role models, she added. Folayang has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of the Cordilleras and once taught English and Physical Education there. Sangiao taught at the same university’s Criminology Department while completing his Master’s Degree.
“Knowing that they’re champions and they all pursued their degrees, of course, I wouldn’t be left behind,” Olsim said. “I genuinely look up to them and they inspire me to accomplish more. I always take their advice to heart, and one of those is that I should focus on finishing my degree.”
Now the Lady Lakay wants to take it even higher. Originally intent on becoming a police officer like another Lakay teammate, Kevin Belingon, she now wants to pursue a law degree. Will she become the first lady lawyer to decide cases outside of court and inside the Circle?
Her present reality is still pretty much wrapped up in MMA though. When she fights again inside the Circle, she wants No.5-ranked atomweight Jihin Radzuan as her opponent.
These days she can afford to do her thing in the Circle without having to worry about readings, assignments and that troublesome thesis. It feels really good to be Jenelyn Olsim these days, no?