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Former Olympian Marestella Torres

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171948985008320240627120652_TORRES 1.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Marestella Torres today"/><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Marestella Torres today </div>CAVITE — Three-time Olympian Marestella Torres is on a mission to develop the next young athlete to represent the Philippines in women’s long jump.At 43 years old, she still holds the record in Southeast Asia for women’s long jump at 6.71 meters.Two years since she retired from competitive long jump, Torres still returns to the field daily but now as a coach and mentor to young athletes. Torres says being a coach after retirement was not part of her initial plan. “Dati tinatanong ako kung mag-co-coach ako after. Nung active ako, lagi akong tinatanong. Pero sa loob ko parang ayaw ko mag-coach. Para sa akin sa sobrang tagal ko na sa sports, gusto ko naman iba. Ibang path na, ibang work,” she said.(When I was being asked before [when I was still active] if I will coach after, deep inside I felt that I don’t want to be a coach. For me, I’ve been in sports for so long I wanted to do something different. A different path, different work.)<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/24/21/why-marestella-sunang-40-not-yet-retiring-from-sport" id="isPasted">Why Marestella Sunang, 40, not yet retiring from sport </a></div> “Nung atleta ako never ako nag-co-coach, never naghawak ng team. Kasi for me hindi ako maka-concentrate,” Torres added. (When I was an athlete, I never coached, never handled a team. For me, I won’t be able to concentrate)<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171948988158520240627120652_TORRES 2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Coach Marestella Torres at work"/><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Coach Marestella Torres at work </div>Torres was part of the national athletics team for over two decades. She competed in the Olympics thrice (2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio) and bagged numerous gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Championship.When she was 41, Torres tried to jump to gold one last time at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2022.Following the regional meet, she announced she was retiring from competitive long jump due to age. The multiple SEA Games gold medalist explained how she came to the difficult decision. “Yes, dahil sa age. Although kaya, kaya pa naman pero nagkasakit ako ng time na &#x27;yun. Sabi ko, siguro &#x27;di na talaga dapat. Kasi ano na ako nun 41. And nagkasakit ako &#x27;yung last SEA Games ko. Nag-compete pa ako so nagkasakit ako so hindi na pwede. Nagka-vertigo ako. Sobrang hirap. Tinyaga ko lang na matapos ko lang SEA Games. Feeling ko kaya ko pa. Pero sabi ko ito &#x27;yung sign na dapat mag stop na ako,” she said.(Yes, I retired due to age. I can still compete, but I got sick that time. I said, maybe I should stop. I was around 41 at that time. I got sick during my last SEA Games. I competed and I got sick so I felt it’s time. I got vertigo. It was very difficult. I just powered through to finish the SEA Games. I felt like I can still do it but I said this is the sign I should stop.)<div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJsN83OWmcE" id="isPasted">Sports U: Last jump to success (youtube.com)</a>  </div>Torres shared that retiring from the sport made her change her mind on coaching.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171948991001320240627120652_TORRES 3.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Coach Marestella Torres at work </div>“Nung nag-retire ako parang mami-miss mo talaga &#x27;yung alam ko &#x27;yung gusto mo nasa sports ka pa din. So &#x27;yun nag-umpisa ako magturo-turo lang hanggang sa masarap pala mag-coach. Sayang kasi &#x27;yung gusto mong ma-transfer &#x27;yung knowledge mo sa mga bata. Sayang naman &#x27;yung experience ko,” she said.(When I retired, I knew I would miss it. I know I wanted to still be in sports. So I started training athletes one by one until I realized it feels good to coach. I felt it would be a waste if I didn’t transfer my knowledge to the youth. My experience would go to waste.)Torres is currently part of the Ateneo Track and Field Team coaching staff and she assists in training young athletes from Imus, Cavite. She is especially focused on the aspiring long jump athletes.“Sa sports ko gusto ko makapag-develop ng jumper. So &#x27;yun &#x27;yung goal ko. Alam ko hindi &#x27;yan instant sa ating lahat pero nakukuha &#x27;yan step by step,” she said.(In my sport, I want to develop a long jumper. That is my goal [as a coach]. I know it won’t happen in an instant but it can happen step by step.) She cited the importance of boosting sports programs on the grassroots level and the need for more support from each city or municipality. “Mag-uumpisa &#x27;yan sa bawat city. Sa mga sports director, sa mga coaches. Kami din sana &#x27;yung makakatulong kung maging maganda &#x27;yung program sa bawat city. Sa dami ng population natin, imposible wala tayong made-develop dito. Support lang naman kasi mamomotivate yung mga bata,” she explained.(It starts in each city, sports directors, coaches. We can help [athletes] if each city will improve its [sports] program. We have a huge population so it’s impossible we have no one to develop. Support is important since it will motivate the youth.) <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/24/ej-obiena-earns-athlete-of-the-year-honors-from-psa" id="isPasted">EJ Obiena earns Athlete of the Year honors from PSA </a></div>Torres shared her advice to young athletes and those aspiring to compete at a high level like the Olympics.“Kung ano &#x27;yung naumpisahan nila, tuloy-tuloy lang &#x27;yun. Lahat nakukuha mo talaga sa training, disiplina. Huwag sila mawalan ng pag-asa. Malayo talaga mararating basta magtiyaga lang. Samantalahin na nila ngayon kasi maganda &#x27;yung support sa sports,” Torres said.The Southeast Asia women’s long jump record holder is hopeful she will be able to find the next homegrown athlete who will reach greater heights.

Three-time Olympian Marestella Torres is on a mission to develop the next young athlete to represent the Philippines in women’s long jump.

Three-time Olympian Marestella Torres is on a mission to develop the next young athlete to represent the Philippines in women’s long jump.

Former Olympian Marestella Torres embraces coaching to develop PH athletes

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Former Olympian Marestella Torres embraces coaching to develop PH athletes

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 27, 2024 08:05 PM PHT

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former Olympian

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