It’s on to the next for Olsim after defeat

Jenelyn Olsim in ONE Grand Prix semifinals. ONE PHOTO

Jenelyn Olsim refuses to be deterred even after her stunning loss to Ritu Phogat of India in a short-notice contest in ONE’s NextGen showpiece in Singapore last Friday.

The Team Lakay fighter found herself falling prey to a battle-ready wrestler, sending her impressive two-game streak in the Asian promotion into a grounding halt.

“I really have to improve my wrestling,” she told journalists in a recent virtual chat. “I’ve come to realize it has been the weakest spot of my game. I’ve been targeted with takedowns since my first fight until [this one].”

“I think I want to especially focus on wrestling techniques,” she went on. “Also, I really need to work on my composure so I could defend properly and apply all those wrestling lessons we study in the gym.”

This renewed drive, after all, is in line with her life-long pursuit of becoming better.

“[This] means that I haven’t reached the fullest of my potentials as a fighter, that is why that I’m putting my mind into it. I truly feel like I can still improve and that it’s within reach,” she said

A win would’ve put Olsim—just three fights in her pro career—in a high stakes clash that is the Grand Prix Finals, which in turn determines Angela Lee’s rightful challenger.

The loss, while less preferable, affords Olsim, a 2019 Southeast Asian Games silver in Muay Thai, much more time to grow other facets of her game, which includes her poise.

“I think she cracked under pressure,” said Mark Sangiao, the stable’s mentor. “Perhaps she is really lacking in composure. I was wondering how come she was having a hard time taking down [Phogat] when during our drills, whenever we’re drafting game plans, her defense is fine. I was seeing no defense during the fight.”