Susan Ramadan was the only Filipino who made the podium in Thursday’s Southeast Asian Games athletic events.
Susan Ramadan could not hold back the tears moments after she took her spot on the podium in the Southeast Asian Games Thursday, Dec. 11.
Ramadan clocked in 3:38.74, which was good for bronze in the athletic women’s 1500m.
Her emotions stemmed from the struggles of having to juggle her internship and training for the regional conclave in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Hindi ko talaga inaasahan 'yong slot sa SEA Games, lalo ngayong OJT ako. Talagang overwhelming. Ang dami kong napagdaanan para ma-achieve 'to,” Ramadan said.
[ALSO READ: SEA Games: Filipina fighter Geli Bulaong strikes way to MMA gold]
What made things tougher for the 23-year-old in the lead-up to the biennial meet was the need to travel from Manila to Clark and back every training.
“Hindi ako makapaniwalang first SEA Games ko, tapos bronze. Sobrang hirap kung paano ang training namin. Nagbabiyahe pa ako from Manila to Clark para makapag-training,” she said.
Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
But it was all worth it in the end for the Far Eastern University standout.
“Iniisip ko ang kalagayan namin sa province, parang ito na 'yong shot ko para maiangat ang buhay namin,” Ramadan said.
“Para sa'kin, sobrang laking opportunity. Ito ang pinakamalaking stage na nalaruan ko at naka-bronze pa. Parang nananginip ako.”
Vietnam’s Thi Ngan Bui logged 4:27.34 to bag the gold while countrywoman Khangh Linh punched in 4:29.76 for silver.
[ALSO READ: Olympian Aleah Finnegan overcomes grief en route to SEA Games 2025 gold]
Ramadan’s fellow Filipina in Naomi Cesar clocked 4:45.59 for fifth place.
While Ramadan was over the moon, her fellow Filipinos in the event were not as fortunate in Thursday’s hostilities.
In the men’s hammer throw, Sidney Yap wound up dead last with 56.47m.
“All the hard work you put into this, this means the world to me. Everyone around me who supported me, I can’t ask for more,” Yap said of his supporters.
In the men’s triple jump, Filipino bets Ronne Malipay (15.75m) and Mark Harry Diones (15.41) settled for fifth and eighth place, respectively.
Later, Daniella Daytana wound up fifth in the women’s discus throw after registering 45m.
Kent Francis Jardin ended up eighth in the 100m men with 10.96 seconds.
On the distaff side, Zion Rose Nelson wound up fifth and Kristina Knott, sixth.
Alyanna Nicolas also settled for fifth in the pole vault event.
(With reports from Bea Escudero, Cignal)
—
Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.