Juggling training and med school, Agatha Wong delivers another gold for PH
At A Glance
- Every gold felt different and special but the anxiety and tough preparation that came before it was all the same.
BANGKOK – Winning simply never gets old for Agatha Wong.
The 27-year-old wushu artist may have won her sixth career gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games but she admitted she has never really got used to the feeling of winning.
Every gold felt different and special but the anxiety and tough preparation that came before it was all the same.
“I feel like every time I go to the SEA Games, I feel like I'm gonna lose. I moved to Bangkok really scared, but I'm going home a champion,” said Wong who won her first gold in the biennial meet back in 2017.
Wong impressed the judges with an impeccable routine that garnered 9.783 points to rule the women’s Taijiquan and Taijijian events.
Basma Lachkar of Brunei Darussalam claimed the silver with a score of 9.780, while Zeanne Zhi Ning Law of Singapore clinched the bronze with a 9.766 tally.
Wong, though, said she had to battle through self doubts even though she came into the competition as a heavy favorite.
“It's very emotional for me. Kasi every time I go to SEA Games, I feel like I'll lose, eh. I think you're biggest enemy to yourself kasi you think that you cannot win, but then you do,” said Wong.
“I just trained really hard this year. I gave it my all. I had so much breakdowns, so much on my plate,” he added.
Making the victory a lot sweeter, Wong won her gold medal all while juggling her role as an athlete and a medical student.
“It was really hard. Yung week na mag-end ang semester ko, I had finals. I had to keep taking exams and then after that taking training,” said Wong.
“And training wasn't easy. Exams were easy. But you know, parang iisip ko nalang, it's a privilege to be tired in the pursuit of what you love."