Caminong hopes to reap fruits of her leap

ILAGAN CITY— Far from her life as a farmer’s daughter, Evangeline Caminong made one leap that could change her life forever.

The jump had a price tag. Her record national junior record leap of 1.71 meters in the girls high jump event of heptathlon in the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships at Ilagan City Sports Complex here was worth P20,000, courtesy of track and field association chief Philip Juico.

But the doors her feat opened could end up priceless.

“I’ve always wanted to join the national team,” said the 17-year-old Dasmariñas City East Integrated student.

She could be on her way there, no thanks to her own sacrifices. Caminong has left her hometown of San Vicente, Palawan, after being recruited by National University. She is hoping that studying in Manila will help ease the burden of her father, a farmer, who is a single parent raising four children.

Being in the national team, Caminong said, “will help bring pride to my family, who I sacrificed being away from to chase my dream.”

Caminong smashed the 1.69-meter record of Kaylene Mosqueda set two years ago.