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SEA Games: Inspired by parents, Lim makes golden return to karate

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/12/10/20191209_seagames-karatedo-gc_br0i7229.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Jamie Lim of the Philippines beats Ceyco Zefanya of Indonesia to win the gold medal in SEA Games Karatedo +61kg Kumite held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- In making a triumphant return to karate just months after completing her degree, Jamie Lim fulfilled her own dreams and matched the achievements of her decorated parents. In one golden year, Lim, 22, graduated as summa cum laude from University of the Philippines (UP) last June, then won a gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in December.&quot;Summa cum laude for mom, SEA Games gold is for dad,&quot; Lim said through her tears on Monday afternoon, after defeating Indonesia&#x27;s Ceyco Zefanya, 2-1, in the finals of the women&#x27;s +61kg kumite.Her mother? Former Pag-IBIG Fund chief Atty. Darlene Berberabe, who also graduated as summa cum laude with a degree in philosophy from UP. And her father? Philippine basketball legend Samboy &quot;The Skywalker&quot; Lim, a winner of two SEA Games gold medals.&quot;I&#x27;ve worked super hard for this,&quot; said Lim, who revealed that she stopped competing for four years to focus on her academics. It was a sacrifice that paid off when she became valedictorian of the UP College of Science after finishing her degree in BS Mathematics. &quot;I did my work. I worked hard every day, every day talaga. No shortcuts. I wanted it so much. Sensei Okay Arpa, binantayan niya talaga ako at naniwala siya sa akin,&quot; she added.Lim decided to return to karate partly because the SEA Games were to be held in the Philippines, and she did not want to pass up a chance to compete at home.&quot;And the timing is perfect, I just graduated, I got my goal sa academics, and I think the signs just told me to,&quot; she said. &quot;It&#x27;s calling me, it&#x27;s calling me to come back. So I just went for it, bahala na, just give it your all. It paid off.&quot;But the road to the top of the podium was not easy. Lim had to go through a two-month training camp that took her away from her mother, something she was not used to. &quot;I&#x27;m not away from my mom a lot,&quot; she admitted. Berberabe was there at the World Trade Center on Monday to watch her daughter compete. Samboy, who collapsed during a basketball game in 2015 and was in a coma for a couple of months, received her updates through text.The lawyer said that Jamie is &quot;our greatest blessing,&quot; and hoped that their daughter&#x27;s story will inspire.&quot;Sobrang focused niya, sana ma-share niya ‘yung kwento niya sa mga kabataan,&quot; said Berberabe. &quot;Nag-aral siya nang mabuti, at nagsipag siya. Kahit tumigil siya, sabi ng iba mahirap, pero kinaya niya.&quot;&quot;I want her to share her story to the other young people to inspire the Philippines,&quot; she added.Lim, for her part, can only thank her parents for serving as her inspiration and motivation throughout a challenging 2019 that ended in golden fashion for her and her family.&quot;I can&#x27;t believe that both of these happened this year,&quot; said Lim. &quot;2019 is so perfect for me.&quot;&quot;I&#x27;m so grateful. I look up to my mom and dad so much. To even come close to him, to be compared to him and mom, it&#x27;s so big for me. Today is so special for me,&quot; she said.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

In making a triumphant return to karate just months after completing her degree, Jamie Lim fulfilled her own dreams and matched the achievements of her decorated parents.

In making a triumphant return to karate just months after completing her degree, Jamie Lim fulfilled her own dreams and matched the achievements of her decorated parents.

SEA Games: Inspired by parents, Lim makes golden return to karate

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SEA Games: Inspired by parents, Lim makes golden return to karate

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 10, 2019 04:59 PM PHT

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Updated December 10, 2019 06:05 PM PHT

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SEA Games

karate

Jamie Lim

Samboy Lim

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