Jamie Lim came back after a four-year absence with a bang.
The 22-year-old Jamie, the only daughter of PBA legend Samboy Lim, felt rusty.
But this did not stop her from earning a gold medal in the karatedo event of the 6th Women’s Martial Arts Festival at the Harrison Plaza open area in Manila.
“A bit rusty. But it was a natural thing,” said the 5’8” Lim, a math major who graduated summa cum laude at the University of the Philippines.
Lim, wielding a mean jab and front kick combinations, pulled off a 10-1 win for her club, the Association for the Advancement of Karatedo, in repulsing Black Diamond fighter Darlen Ferrer, in the -68 kg. kumite class.
It was Lim’s first tournament in four years after she decided to concentrate on her studies.
During the year Jamie entered college, her dad suffered a cardiac arrest and lost consciousness during a basketball game at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
These days, Samboy is cared for by a nurse and undergoes physical therapy.
Cheered on by her mom, lawyer Lelen Berberabe, Jamie received her medal from Karatedo Pilipinas president Richard Lim.
“Her training period was adjusted for her to be able join a tournament as fast as possible. Her game today was not 100 percent of what she can do. But she will continue practicing. Her performance was not bad after scoring 10-1,” said Lim’s coach Alwyn Batican.
During the festival that was organized by the Philippine Sports Commission, Leigh Angela Cuadra of MKKPI took the senior kata open honors from silver medallist Nadja Formentera of JNH.
Cuadra took another gold medal after for Taguig City in the -61 kg. kumite, while her sister Lyca ruled the -55 kgs. Senior kumite.
Camille Lachica of the Pasig Karatedo dominated -50 kgs. senior kumite after repulsing Mariah Paglingayen (MKKPI region 3), while her sister Clarence (JKO) prevailed over Andrea Dulano of Pasig) in +68 kg class.
In the cadets’ side, Marie June Adrian and MKKPI teammate came up with a 1-2 finish in the -54 kg kumite, while Ysabelle Abrogrante earned one for Malabon City in +54 side.
Lyllana Marcelo of PKTS topped the junior -48 kgs. action, while Kirstiene Apaga of Taguig City won over teammate Mayvone German in -53 kgs side.