(Editor's note: Second of a series)
ONE rising star in Philippine athletics is teenage javelin thrower Gennah Malapit, who made an immediate impact in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
In her SEA Games debut, the 16-year-old Malapit took the silver medal by setting a personal best of 49.55 meters, with only Jariya Wichaidit of Thailand making a better throw after registering 52.60m.
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Malapit’s throw in Cambodia was nearly four meters better than her previous best. Even more incredible is that Malapit is still scheduled to compete in this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Marikina where she will represent Calabarzon.
Before she sees action in the Palaro, Malapit has already competed against the continent’s best at the Asian Championships on Thursday, placing 13th and last as the youngest entry in the event in Thailand.
“For experience lang talaga,” said the Tanay, Rizal native in an interview during the SEA Games when asked what was her aim for the biennial meet. “Luckily, with prayers and luck with training, we got the silver medal.”
Malapit said she set her personal best out of frustration from her first throw.
“Nung first throw ko po, nabitawan ko ‘yung sibat ng hindi sinasadya. Dumulas po siya,” said Malapit. “Kinuha po ako ng anger ko. Nagalit po ako.”
National team coach Jojo Posadas is already seeing a bright future for Malapit.
“Time will come, kapag nabigyan ng magandang break, ma-expose, ma-train, the right training program, a high-level training program, mamo-motivate,” said Posadas.
Malapit was discovered by legendary Filipino javelin thrower Danilo Fresnido, who is now coaching her.
“Matagal na niyang mino-monitor, parang elementary or first-year high school pa lang… Nakita niya na malaking bulas. Kasi ngayon, naghahanap kami ng malalaki. Ang maganda, malaking bulas itong bata na ‘to,” said Posadas.
Interestingly, javelin throw wasn’t the first sport of Malapit.
A daughter of a volleyball-playing mother and a basketball-playing father, Malapit first took up swimming but moved into athletics after much convincing from her teachers during her elementary days. She was a sprinter first before shifting to javelin throw.
“Noong una, swimming ako. Nung Grade Four ako, nag-try out ako sa swimming. Sabi nila, hindi ka naman magsa-succeed diyan. Sabi ko, ‘Sige, lipat tayo’… ‘Yung mga teachers ko na ‘yun, sila po ‘yung nag-introduce sa akin sa javelin,” said Malapit.
She later honed her skills during her elementary days from an unlikely source when a janitor by the name of Rigor Garnale helped her in training.
“Siya lang po ‘yung nakakaalam kung paano ang basics. Siya ang nagturo sa akin. Marunong siya eh,” said Malapit.
She quickly made heads turn in her Palaro debut in 2019 in Davao City, registering a mark of 46.57 meters on her first throw, shattering the Games record of 41.46 set by Avegail Beliran.
Following her impressive SEA Games mark, Malapit is set to join Adamson's college athletics team, where Fresnido is also coach.
“Say yes to Adamson na po tayo. Kasi nandoon po ‘yung coach ko. Alam ko na doon po ako maaalagaan,” said Malapit.
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