Jasmine Alkhaldi gets a silver this time.
The 100-meter freestyle event in swimming only takes less than a minute to compete in. But Jasmine Alkhaldi's emotions from the event has been brewing for a decade.
On Monday morning, Alkhaldi swam once again for the event in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games after skipping it in Vietnam.
She finished second in the heats at 57.190 seconds, just 0.41 of a second compared to Singapore's Ting Wen Quah.
In the evening session, Alkhaldi actually swam faster at 56.120 seconds. But Quah was just ahead of her by 0.28 of a second to win the gold.
It was a mix of emotions for Alkhaldi, who has won four bronze medals in the event in four editions of the SEA Games. Her first one in 2013 was particularly painful because she actually won the gold, but it was recalled after Thailand protested a false start.
Alkhaldi took home bronze in the re-swim.
"It was ten years ago at the same event when I got the gold, but I didn't," Alkhaldi told One Sports' Cesca Litton-Kalaw after her silver medal finish.
"I think that sparked my motivation to continue, because for me personally, kaya ko pa. And honestly akala ko today, nakuha ko."
After the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, the 29-year-old swimmer skipped the event for Vietnam because she had difficulties training during the pandemic.
"I decided last year to give it one more shot," she said, pausing, "I really thought I got it."
"But I'm still very happy because I'm old na," Alkhaldi added, laughing. "Still being here and performing the best I can for the Philippines is still something I really don't take for granted."
Alkhaldi though has done a pretty good job so far in Cambodia as she also won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay.
(With reports from Cesca Litton-Kalaw, One Sports)