Ready For It?

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Chong (Blue) 11. Hong (Red), 12.

Isang puntos ang lamang ng kalaban.

Fifteen seconds remaining time.

We are both gasping for air. We are trying to do kicks but we're too weak to do that. All we do is clench and attempt but in the end, we didn't score.

Ten seconds.

Kapag hindi ako tumira, matatalo ako. Kapag sinuntok ko siya sa armor, one point lang iyon at magta-tie kami sa labanang ito. Magkakaroon kami ng sudden death match. Iyon ang magdedesisyon kung sino ang makakakuha ng gold medal at magre-represent ng province namin sa Regional Meet. She's guarding her body armor so kicking her torso is not an option.

Nine.

Ang sudden death match ay paunahan ng pagsipa sa armor. The kick should have enough power para gumawa ng tunog sa armor. It should also be visible and emphasized. Alam ko sa sarili ko na ako sa sudden death match. Mukhang iyon lang ang magiging dahilan kung bakit ako matatalo.

Eight.

I can't lose right now. Matagal ko nang gusto ma-qualify sa Regional Meet. I can't give it up. I don't want to.

Seven.

I want to make my family proud. I want to make my friends proud. I want to make myself proud.

Six.

I want to show my achievements to the people who belittle me. I want to tell them that I am worth believing.

Five.

It's now or never.

For the last five seconds, I made a turning long or also called as a spinning hook kick. Tumama ito sa ulo ng kalaban, which means I scored four points. Turning kicks are scored four points, the highest scoring attack in Taekwondo.

Chong (Blue), 15. Hong (Red) 12.

I don't know how to sink it in. The next thing I knew, the referee raised her right hand, the side where I'm in, declaring that I won the match.

I heard the cheers from the side where my teammates are, as they're celebrating my victory.

I hugged my opponent and she hugged me back, telling me that it was a good game. I bowed to the referee, the judges and my opponent did the same. I bowed to my opponent's coach and instructor before bowing to my own.

After I bowed to Mrs. Quezon, she hugged me saying that I did a good job. This coach doesn't treat her students as athletes. She treats her athletes as her family. And I am proud to be one.

I bowed to my instructor. He told me that he's proud of me at mataas ang mararating ko if I'll improve my gameplay for the next meet which is the Regional Meet.

I just can't believe that I did it. Maluha-luha akong lumabas ng mats kanina dahil sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan.

Just like the other athletes who first participated in lower meets, pangarap ko rin na lumahok sa higher meets gaya ng Regional Meet at Palarong Pambansa. The latter might be next to impossible, pero hawak-kamay ko na ang una.

"Championship round for women's bantam weight division. Unit 3 versus unit 5. Champion, unit 5!"

"Unit five, unit five!" My teammates cheered.

"Next game, championship round for women's feather weight division. Unit 5, chong; unit 3, hong."

I removed my armor, arm guard, shin guard, genital guard, at iba pang mga protective gear na ginamit ko kanina at inilagay sa gym bag. Nilagay ko naman ang mouth guard sa lalagyan bago inilagay sa gym bag.