Olympic-bound boxer Irish Magno finds time to go back to her roots when she takes short breathers from her training for the Tokyo Games which is set next year.
In a recent social media post, the 29-year-old can be seen cutting rice crops with her parents in their hometown in Janiuay, Iloilo.
“Minsan, kailangan mo ring bumalik kung saan ka nagsimula,” Magno wrote. “With nanay and tatay. Extra lang muna habang restday sa training. Gapas ng palay.”
“Be proud kung saan ka nagsimula bago mo maabot ang mga pangarap mo,” she added in a separate post.
The post showed photos and video of Magno and her parents working at the rice field.
The women’s flyweight contender said working at the field was her way of helping her family prior to joining the national team.
“Gawain ko na po to dati before mag-boxing. Sa hirap ng buhay, talagang kahit anong trabaho po, ginagawa ko para makatulong sa magulang ko po,” Magno told Manila Bulletin.
“Nagdadamo po, nagtatanim ng mais, naggagapas ng palay kapag may extra time po ako kasi nag-aaral din po ako nyan,” she said.
Magno said she wanted to grab the opportunity to help her parents especially in this time of pandemic.
“Sayang din po kasi talaga,” she said.
However, Magno hopes she could soon train with her coaches in a single venue to boost her Olympic preparations.
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So far, she has resorted to following the training program prepared by coach Boy Velasco, as well as afternoon online sessions with other coaches and boxers.
If she has time, she goes to the gym.
“Mas okay po sakin yung parang nasa training bubble ako na kasama ko mga coaches sa training, kasi iba pa rin po talaga kapag andyan sila na nagga-guide sa akin,” Magno said.
At the moment, the Philippine Sports Commission is busy preparing for a specific training venue that could house Olympic qualifiers and hopefuls for their preparations.
The venue must pass the health protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force.