Pencak silat’s Cherry Mae Regalado eyes SEA Games gold

Cherry May Regalado of the Philippines competes in the women’s seni artistry regu putri event of the 29th Southeast Asian Games pencak silat competition Tuesday at the Kompleks Sukan Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SEA GAMES POOL

MANILA, Philippines—Cherry Mae Regalado had already reaped gold and bronze medals at the Asian level but Philippine national pencak silat athlete still yearns for a top prize in the Southeast Asian Games.

The 24-year-old believes she deserved a medal in the 2017 Games in Malaysia but Regalado placed just fourth in the competition and this setback became Regalado’s driving force in this year’s tiff.

“I couldn’t control myself and I just cried in the 2017 SEA Games because I know in myself that I should’ve won a medal,” said Regalado in Filipino. “I didn’t give up and I told myself that I will prove the judges wrong.”

Since her fourth place finish, Regalado won the bronze medal in the 18th Asian Games and in the Women’s Seri Singles Finals of the Pencak Silat competition in Jakarta.

Regalado’s path for to a gold medal in the 2019 SEA Games, which the Philippines will host, won’t be that easy.

The Aklan University alum is dealing with a knee injury less than a month before the start of the Games.

“I’m dealing with a knee injury, this is the greatest challenge that I have to face every day,” said Regalado. “How I’m going to perform and improve myself without making my injury worse.”

“I always tell myself not to lose hope and never give up, a few more step and Inshallah I will take the gold medal as my comeback statement.”