New Clark City – For the newly hailed toughest woman in the 30th Southeast Asian Games athletics, fueling her love for the sport meant a long separation from her family to fuel her love for the sport.
Heptathlon gold medalist Sarah Dequinan shared that she had to leave her family in Bukidnon to focus on her training in Manila.
“Three years since last ko silang nakita,” she told SPIN Life. “’Yung venue po sa training, malayo sa tao, so parang ang hirap makipag-communicate with other people kasi ang layo nila.”
Now that the gold is in the bag, the 23-year-old runner said returning to Mindanao will have to wait just bit more.
“Hindi pa ako uuwi pero I try na bumisita sa bahay. Maghahanap pa ako ng work,” she said.
The sacrifices and hardship seemed worth it for Dequinan, who looked back proudly on her recent victory — a feat last achieved by the legendary Elma Muros-Posadas in 2001.
“Super amazing lang po ‘yung nangyari, para siyang panaginip," she said.
When asked what she wanted to take away from her win, she added: "Para sa akin, be humble lang always, no matter what happens, pakumbaba lang po,”