Long jumper Katherine Khay Santos considered her bronze medal finish during the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia as the break she was waiting for to jumpstart her aim of becoming an Olympian.
While the 2012 London Olympics was just around the corner at that time, the 2016 Olympiad in Brazil was more realistic for this comely Baguio native athlete.
Now reaching her peak at age 26, Santos was expecting to gain some attention from the PATAFA hierarchy and potential benefactors after winning the SEA Games bronze, noting that she competed in Indonesia without the full backing her sport’s NSA.
Santos was able to compete in her first major event through the help of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao who was then training up North.
“Sinabihan ako na pwede ako mag-compete pero hindi nila sagot ‘yung gastos. Nilapitan ko si sir Manny kasi he was training noon sa Baguio and tinulungan niya naman ako,” disclosed Santos “Though nung nalaman ng PATAFA na tumulong si Sir Manny, bigla nila ako isinama sa contingent .”
The next few years turned out to be the most difficult times of Santos’ career after she was dropped from the national team for failing to win a medal during the next two SEAG meets in 2013 and 2015.
In looking back, Santos felt 2013 would have been her biggest year as the gold medal winner of the biennial event in Myanmar, Maria Londa of Indonesia won the gold with a leap of 6.39 meters, just a centimeter lower than Santos’ personal best of 6.40 meters.
“December ‘yung SEA Games but September that year, namatay ‘yung brother ko. Mentally I was so affected all the way hanggang sa SEA Games,” revealed Santos.
In Myanmar, Santos could only leap a measly 5.93 meters which was good for fourth place behind bronze medalist Bui Thi Thu Thao of Vietnam who tallied 6.14.
In the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, Santos leapt 6.40 meters which was a centimeter short of bronze winner and compatriot Marestella Torres who jumped 6.41 meters.
“I was training noong 2015 sa Los Angeles and was preparing for the Rio qualifier pero I got an email from PATAFA telling me na wala na ako sa national team,” said Santos “I may have failed to win medals sa SEA Games pero I was improving on my performance so kahit na ganoon, I kept the faith kasi I can see and feel the improvement sa talon ko.”
Through the help of her teammates who vouched for her determination and potentials, PATAFA, under new leader and former PSC chairman Philip Ella Juico, reinstated Santos last year and was looking forward to continue her aim of making the Rio Games.
“Kaso na-twist ko ‘yung right ankle ko and nagkaroon ng tear sa tendon. I still tried and was in pain the whole time I was training pero talagang matindi ‘yung pain,’ said Santos.
The injury situation and seemingly irregular recognition of PATAFA regarding her status on the team led to several prodding from friends and relatives to give up on her Olympic quest and instead focus on another field.
“I considered it seriously, nung mga time na, saan ba ako pupunta? Dati pa, lalo na nung 2013, ito na ba ‘yung turning point ng career ko?” said Santos, a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate. ““Passion ko talaga ito. Gusto ko talagang maglaro kaya gagawa at gagawa ako ng way para maging Olympian.”
Santos’ next major aim is to qualify for the 2017 SEA Games this August in Malaysia by competing in the upcoming Philippine National Open from March 30 to April 2 in Ilagan, Isabela. (DP)