Mary Joy Tabal will continue her quest to earn a qualifying slot to the Tokyo Olympics.
Now spending time in home quarantine in Cebu City, the 30-year-old Tabal said the postponement of the Olympics to 2021 gave her hope as it provided her another year to get ready and stay in shape for international competitions that will award her the needed points to claim a berth to the quadrennial meet.
“Now I have another chance to work on that Olympic dream again. My goal for 2020 can change, but never my dream for another Olympics,” said Tabal, who saw action in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Tabal talked about her plans during a recent radio interview.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced organizers to postpone the 2020 Olympics, originally slated in July and August, for next year.
As for Tabal, she has confined herself to workouts done inside her home in Cebu City.
To make it to the Olympics, Tabal said she needs join qualifiers, which include seven races throughout the Asia Pacific region.
“Things happened. And this opened by my eyes to opportunities that were taken away,” added Tabal, who earned a silver in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Tabal said she will now wait for word when marathon races throughout the world can resume, adding she will be ready to join the qualifiers when they are finally given the green light to compete.
