Every time Agatha Wong goes to compete in the SEA Games, she thinks she's going to lose. Especially now that she's juggling medical school and training. Despite all the doubts and tears, Wong just got her sixth wushu gold in the event. What's next?
"I feel like every time I go to SEA Games, I'm gonna lose."
Who would have thought multi-awarded wushu athlete Agatha Wong would be scared?
But she admitted she did that way before she hits the carpet for competition... even then as a five-time SEA Games gold medalist who just won her sixth in Thailand.
"Even at an early age, I didn't think I was meant for this future. I just really tried to do my best because it's not every day you get an opportunity to represent your country," Wong told One Sports on Sunday.
The nerves do get to her, Wong admitted. With such dominance in the Southeast Asian region, Agatha says the biggest opponent is the lone person performing on the carpet.
"I think your biggest enemy is yourself. You think that you cannot win, but then you do," she said.
"I just trained really hard this year, I gave it my all, I had many breakdowns, I had so much on my plate," Wong shared. "I think it's important to talk to someone. If you want to cry, just cry it out."
"'Pag nahirapan ako, I try to take time for myself. Pagdating ng araw, mag-compete uli ako, it's going to be worth it."
It wasn't the easiest for Wong, who had just finished a semester of medical school and its exams on December 5 before flying to Bangkok on December 11 for focused training.
"Training wasn't easy. Exams weren't easy," she said. "Iniisip ko na lang, it's a privilege to be tired in pursuit of what you love."
"Iniisip ko talaga, mental game. It's really easy to fall sa jumps mo. If your mentality isn't nice, mahihila ka talaga. You're going to fall," she shared. "I just let myself feel yung kaba. Eventually, pagdating sa carpet, okay na."
Wong was more than okay on the carpet. She scored 9.773 in taijiquan and 9.783 in taijijian, the highest among competitors for a total of 19.556.
"I didn't expect I would achieve this. Six golds is enough for me. Okay na 'to, okay na 'to," Wong shared, but it doesn't mean she will be retiring. "I'm not really going to keep expecting myself to win. It's enough na. God has other plans."
At least, today, she feels much better.
"I flew to Bangkok really scared. But I'm going home a champion."
(With reports from Mei-lin Lozada/One Sports Digital)
Katrina Alba is a sports journalist and producer, notably with SportsCenter Philippines before taking on her current role at One Sports.
She primarily writes about basketball and volleyball, with experience covering the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup.
Outside of work, her hobbies include running, swimming, pickleball, yoga, arnis, and krav maga.