JOY TABAL NAMED ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Cebuana marathoner wins major award for SEA Games triumph, Milo Marathon five-peat
Cebuana Olympian Mary Joy Tabal shone the brightest among all the stars after she was crowned “Athlete of the Year” during the 36th Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Brewery (SAC-SMB) All-Cebu Sports Awards yesterday Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
Tabal won the country’s first gold in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia and completed a five-peat in the Milo National Marathon.Her record-setting triumph in Milo Marathon was a bittersweet one as she learned of her father’s death barely 24 hours before what she later described as the toughest race of a career that has brought her to the prestigious marathons in Boston, London, and Paris.
In her acceptance message, Tabal spotlighted the role of sportswriters in her path to glory.
“I am very honored and humbled to be receiving this award! Let me start by sharing to you my humble beginnings and how these sportswriters have played an important role leading to where I am now,” said Tabal, who made history as the first Filipina marathoner in the Olympics two years ago in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Tabal recalled that when she started shifting from being a sprinter into a long-distance runner way back in 2009, she had a simple dream: to make headlines in the newspapers.
“I’d also experienced how is it to be compared to someone, and how these sportswriters have made good stories about it. Usahay malipay ko magbasa, usahay pud maguol ko. But it’s more on giving challenges to yourself,” Tabal added.
Having said that, Tabal expressed her gratitude to the sportswriters for helping mold her into what she is today. She also congratulated her fellow awardees and egged them to strive harder .
“To all of you who are here, take time to thank these people for recognizing our achievements. Sa kadaghang atleta then you are here, that’s a big achievement already. Thank you coach also because you won’t make it here without that person, kay kung naa baya tay nindot nga achievement, usahay malimtan ang coach ug ang athlete ra pirme ma-recognize,” said Tabal.