Long jumper Sunang makes it to Rio Olympics

Photo by ROMY HOMILLADA

Marestella Torres-Sunang became the country’s eighth Olympian after topping the women’s long jump at Kazakhstan Open on Monday.

The 35-year-old jumper tallied 6.72 meters to top the field and won her third gold medal in the qualifiers. She previously jumped 6.47 meters in Kyrgyzstan and recorded 6.52 meters in Kosanov Memorial in Kazakhstan.

This will mark the Negros Oriental native’s third time to qualify in the Olympics after participating in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.

“Marestella is now ranked 28th in the world,” shared Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Philip Ella Juico.

He continued, “It was her sixth and last jump in windy conditions compounded by continuous rains. She fouled in her fourth and fifth jumps. IAAF will have to officially certify her having made the standard.”

Torres-Sunang joins Eric Cray and Mary Joy Tabal as the country’s representatives in athletics at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Juico shared that he hopes Torres-Sunang won’t be the last one.

“It is hoped that EJ Obiena also makes it. As of now and if Marestella’s performance is certified, Athletics’ three-person delegation will be the biggest among all competing Philippine NSAs,” he said.