Tabal needs change of mindset for Asiad campaign

IT’S the hunger to improve that keeps Mary Joy Tabal motivated in her training in Italy for the 2018 Asian Games, which is set on Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 in Indonesia.

After winning first place in the 21K race of the 23rd Jeju International Tourism Marathon Festival in Korea last Sunday, Tabal now shifts her focus to heavy training with the high-altitude camp on the horizon.

“The heavy training starts in June leading to the high-altitude training in the second or third week of June,” the Cebuana Olympian told SunStar Cebu yesterday.

Tabal’s high-altitude training will be in Montea Amiata, a place with a 1,739meter elevation and which is 49 kilometers away from the main training hub in Tuscany.

The 28-year-old Tabal said she has to change her mindset and get hungry for improvements. “What I need to build is my confidence. As what my coaches told me, I just need to believe in myself, without fears and doubts,” she said.

The 29th Southeast Asian (Sea) Games gold medalist will represent the country in the women’s 42K race in the Asiad. This will be her first stint in the quadrennial meet.

Tabal is in her second month of training in Italy. She will be back in Cebu on Aug. 14 before flying to Indonesia.

“I’ve got the best coaches, the best training environment, the best support from my sponsors. They have provided me everything and I have the time. What I need to build and develop is my mentality not to back down from challenges,” she said.