SINGAPORE — Marestella Torres won’t be trying to win it all on the first jump.
After a disaster in last year’s Incheon Asian Games where she fouled all her attempts as she tried to force things, Torres now knows the importance of simply logging a decent mark early and get safely to the finals as she looks to reclaim the long jump title 28th Southeast Asian Games.
“’Make sure the first jump is good,” she said. “After that, you’re in control.”
Torres competes in her pet event on Wednesday at the Singapore National Stadium against 10 other athletes, including the gold winner in Incheon, Maria Natalia Londa of Indonesia.
Londa won in Incheon with a 6.55-meter leap, while Torres’ logged 6.71-m in winning her third Sea Games gold medal in Palembang four years ago.
For the Singapore Games, Torres said she will be blocking off the pressure and simply “jump for the win.”
“Ang pressure, andyan naman lagi, kusa naman ’yan kung sobra ang expectations,” said the 34-year-old Torres, a proud mom to one-year-old Eliemar Matvie.