Article by: Nicholle Kim T. Fontanilla and Reine Amabel J. Jaruda
Photo courtesy of: Coach Sean Guevara
Coming home from a six-day tourney, two Mapúa Junior Tracksters brought victories to their name and to the university from the recently-concluded Taiwan National Middle School Athletic Games in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan last April 25.
During the international athletic competition, Red-and-Gold representatives Kirk Aisne Sim Caldeo clinched eighth place for the shot put category while James Lozañes brought home a silver medal for finishing second in the javelin throw.
"It was overwhelming to go against the giants, [but we] still got to the finalists spot and 1st runner-up," Caldeo shared. "We're not expecting too much about our performance as we all know that other countries are more powerful than us in this event."
With just over a month after competing in NCAA 94, the Junior Tracksters had little time to prepare for the international competition, which meant a tamer training regimen compared to their previous routines. However, they instead focused on possible strategies to use when they face foreign athletes and received feedback from the whole Tracksters team. "They gave us advice on what we should do and criticized us on our training to have a better performance," Caldeo exclaimed.
The shot put athlete added that the key factor to their success was the utmost support of the University, the Athletics Department, and the coaching staff. "Without them, this event will not be possible," he added.
Claiming that it is an honor and a privilege to represent not only the university, but also the country, Caldeo reflected on the importance of God in the victories. "Always have faith in God," he said. "Put God as the center of your life and there's no space for losing because [at] the time you accept Him, you are victorious."
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