‘It’s final: Tabal out.’ Thus, read a headline in a national broadsheet (June 6, 2017, Manila Bulletin). Yep, it was final that time; but wait, we are dealing with sports bureaucracy here in the Philippines. The story read that Mary Joy Tabal was excluded from participating in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) had determined she could not compete in the women’s marathon at the SEA Games. For various reasons, of which I wrote in this column earlier, Mary Joy was told she would not be part of the team. As she said, she had done nothing wrong.
But through time since June, the sports bureaucrats eventually gave in, and allowed her to compete.
Fast forward to Saturday, Aug. 19, there she was, Mary Joy Tabal in Kuala Lumpur, competing with endurance runners from 10 other countries of Southeast Asia. The runners were in position, and the gun went off, sending them on their way to run a little over 42 kilometers (that’s like running from Dumaguete all the way to Bais).
Somewhere through the race, Mary Joy decided it was time to move on and separate herself from the pack. Wise decision.
She eventually proved herself worthy to represent the Philippines, finishing first among 10, and capturing the first gold medal in the SEA Games for her country.
Mary Grace completed 42.195 kilometers in an amazing two hours and 48 minutes.
You can imagine she was covering one kilometer (like the distance from Freedom Park up to NOPH) in every three minutes-58 seconds.
Mary Joy finished almost seven minutes ahead of the silver medalist from Vietnam. Placing 3rd was Thailand.
So now it’s truly final: Tabal is the marathon champion in South East Asia!
Congratulations, Mary Joy Tabal! You make us proud.
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