Philippines’ Ian Lariba hits a shot in her women’s singles qualification round table tennis match at the Riocentro venue during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 6, 2016. AFP FILE PHOTO
Rio Olympian Ian Lariba has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), her family disclosed Tuesday.
In a statement released by DLSU Sports, Lariba’s family shared that the 22-year-old Lasallian paddler will undergo treatment this week after seeking blood donors to help her cause late since last week.
“We request the Lasallian community to extend assistance and support to Yan Yan during this time,” the statement read.
Official statement on Yan Lariba’s condition:#KayaMoYAN
*ERRATUM: The BDO Account is 870-007-459 pic.twitter.com/sHhXJgz0Jl
— DLSU Sports (@dlsusports) May 30, 2017
The school also urged the community to extend financial assistance to Lariba’s family during their time of need.
She dominated the UAAP table tennis field in her five-year stint for the Green Paddlers where she became a three-time Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year in Season 74, and the UAAP Athlete of the Year in Seasons 77 and 78.
Lariba earned a ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the Philippines’ first table tennis representative to the quadrennial meet.