Comebacking athletics queen chasing Asian Games slot

MANILA, Philippines – Long jumper Marestella Torres began her first steps to regain her lofty status in Asian athletics when she leapt 6.26 meters to win one of the Philippines’ two medals at the Hong Kong Inter-Cities Athletics Championship.

Torres failed to achieve her goal of clearing 6.40m to qualify outright for the Asian Games as she nailed down what turned out to be her best jump after fouling for the second time in her 4th try.

Julian Fuentes finished 3rd in the men’s long jump with 7.25 meters.

Joseph Sy, her coach, said she “has to be consistent and control her speed.” Torres gave birth to her first child last January. She began training in February.

“She needs more competition so that she can polish her form and technique,” said Sy in a private message at his Facebook account to Rappler.com.

“We are trying our best to catch up for the Asian Games. it is her first international competition and I am satisfied,” Sy added.

Torres soared to a personal best of 6.71m  during the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, her 4th straight title. Two years later, she married Elizer Sunang, the shot put king.

Incheon Asian Games

Whether Torres, 2009 Asian athletics long jump queen, can jump near 6.71m, which can make her competitive in the Asian Games in September at historic Incheon is debatable. While she has triumphed in the Southeast Asian Games and in the Asian athletic championships, an Asian Games medal has eluded her even at top form.

Torres’ next chance to qualify outright for the Asian Games is Vietnam in July. She has trimmed down after giving birth in January to 115.94 pounds from her competition weight of 115 pounds but immediate gains have eluded even superstars like Lydia de Vega, who only came back in 1991 after giving birth late 1989.

Torres has been training in Ayala Alabang since February under the eye of an American businessman, Jim Lafferty, a business executive with experience in coaching abroad. Will Torres’ new coach and rigor allow her to get back into action? Time is running short for the queen of Philippine athletics. – Rappler.com