PH athletes loosen up after tiring trip to Rio
RIO DE JANEIRO—Reeling from jetlag, members of the Philippine delegation, including the six athletes who are already here for the Olympics, were given the chance to loosen up Monday in this city that has all the trimmings of a major event coming up.
Except for the Philippine flag bearer, Ian Lariba of table tennis, the rest of the athletes—long jump specialist Marestella TorresSunang, swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna, taekwondo jin Kirstie Elaine Alora and weightlifters Hidilyn Diaz and Nestor Colonia—took it easy the day after their arrival.
Members of the delegation headed by Jose Romasanta could still feel the effects of a backbreaking 25-hour flight from Manila to this city via Dubai when they got up in the morning. Officials, including the coaches, thought it was better to give everybody some time to recover.
Break sweat
Lariba just went through the motions under her South Korean coach Mi Sook Kwon, a silver medalist in the 1999 World Championships. But she said she didn’t want to overdo herself and just wanted to break sweat to shake off jet lag.
“We did just enough,” said Lariba, 21, the first athlete from the Philippines to plunge into action in this Summer Games, being held despite serious concerns over the dreaded Zika virus, security threats and the impending ban on Russian athletes.
Lariba competes the day after the opening ceremony, most likely in the morning, and ahead of Lacuna, and boxers Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez, who will also make their Olympic debut later in the day in different venues.
Soothe muscles
Track coach Joebert Delicano decided to give Sunang time to recover from jet lag as well, giving the country’s long jump entry a rubdown to soothe her muscles.
Besides, Delicano added, Sunang practiced hard and did a dozen jumps the day before they left Manila.
“Her muscles were tight due to the long flight,” said Delicano. “She had to stay out of the track at least for today. With another good sleep, her body should feel better tomorrow.”