Coach wants a leaner Marestella

Photo by ROMY HOMILLADA

MARESTELLA Torres-Sunang flaunted her symmetrical abdominal muscles to show her readiness for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Yet, Jim Lafferty, Sunang’s benefactor, said the long jump queen bound for her third straight Olympics must put in more work to reach the fighting form needed to win a medal in the quadrennial Summer Games.

“She has to shed off more body fat between now and Rio in order to become more competitive,” said Lafferty during Tuesday’s send-off for track and field’s Eric Cray (400m hurdles), marathoner Mary Joy Tabal and Sunang.

Lafferty, who monitors the diet and progress of Sunang who gave birth two years ago, said the four-time Southeast Asian Games champion still has a body fat of 10.1 percent.

She recorded 6.72 meters in an Olympic qualifier in Kazakhstan two weeks ago to surpass the 6.70m standard and qualify to Rio.

According to Lafferty, Sunang should leap at least 6.80m to be in the medal hunt.

To accomplish the feat, the oldest Filipino Rio Olympian at 35 years needs to cut down fat by the time she competes on Aug. 16.

“Yoga helps me remain flexible and prevent injuries,” said Sunang in Filipino, the third three-time Olympian in athletics after high-jumper Simeon Toribio (1928, 1932, 1934) and discus thrower Josephine Dela Vina (1964, 1968, 1972).