DECEMBER 3, 2019: Philippines’ Agatha Wong performs during the women’s Taijijian category in the Wushu competition in the 30th South East Asian Games 2019. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
Fighting through injuries is nothing new to Agatha Wong. She did it in the Asian Games last year. She did it again in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Tuesday
Wong, who battled through cramps and body pains in her first event, captured her second gold medal in the wushu competition after topping the women’s taijijian at World Trade Center.
“I’m still trying to think. Did I really win? Because I’ve been through so much and I’m grateful to get this opportunity,” said Wong in Filipino. She finished with a silver in the 2017 edition of the SEA Games but flourished this time with 9.65 points to win the gold–her second since claiming the women’s taijiquan last Sunday.
She is the national wushu team’s lone two-gold winner so far.
Not bad for somebody who had to battle through pain in the tournament. As she did in the Asiad, however, when she won a bronze medal, Wong went deep inside her mind to summon the strength to battle on.
“I think it’s just a level of mentality because when it comes to wushu if your mind is in trouble, you won’t be able to execute your jumps properly,” said Wong.
The Filipino wushu star also got big boost with the retirement of five-time SEA Games gold medalist Lindswell Kwok, who relegated her to silver in Kuala Lumpur.
But she said she didn’t take the field lightly.
“They were great athletes,” Wong said of her foes. “When Lindswell retired, I knew I still have strong opponents like the guys from Vietnam and Japan. It’s not always Lindswell even though she’s always winning. Everyone has a chance to win and I’m happy to be in that level.”
Thi Minh Huyen Tran of Vietnam claimed the silver medal with a score of 9.63 while Brunei’s Basma Lachkar was the bronze medalist with after a mark of 9.62.
All the hard work–physically and mentally–has taken its toll on Wong, though, and she plans to shut down for the rest of the year.
“I’ll hibernate,” said Wong with a chuckle Tuesday at World Trade Center. “I went through a lot this year.”
Wong carried huge expectations leading up to the SEA Games after she followed up her successful stint in the 2017 Malaysian meet with a bronze in the Asiad and a gold in the 1st Asian Traditional Wushu competition in China in 2018.
And even though she delivered the golds here, she still feels short of her goals.
“For me, I don’t think I met my own expectation but results-wise I’m just so happy,” said Wong. INQ