Is Gretchen Malalad seriously training for Asian Games?

November 22, 2006

Insider Magazine
November Issue
By Theodore P. Jurado

It’s two weeks to go before the biggest Asian sports spectacle reels off in Doha, Qatar.

Now the $64 question:  Is Team Philippines ready to slug it off in the Asian Games and surpass its haul of three gold medals in teh 2002 edition in Busan, South Korea?

We still have some nagging questions about our participatin in Asiad, especially about our team’s readiness to battle its Asian counterparts, several of which have world-class caliber.

The Asian Games is far differently story from the Southeast Asian Games, where the Philippines won its very first overall championship in 2005 with 112 golds. 

A number of sports observers say that in this year’s competitions, which will be held in the Middle East for the first time in over three decades, the Philippines will be very lucky to win five gold medals, just enough to surpass its haul four years ago. 

Here’s some of our queries:

 

Is Gretchen Malalad seriously training for Asian Games?

 

After Gretchen won her third straight gold medal in the 2005 SEA Games, many say that she’s primed to give the Philippines its first-ever karate gold in the Asiad.  In fact, national karate president Ed Ponce told us that Gretchen has more powerful kicks than before.

But when Gretchen’s showbiz career went into full throttle this year, thanks to her participation in Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition and being a part of the Pinoy Dream Academy reality show, a lot of people are asking if she’s ready for the task of giving her best to make the country proud.  Gretchen was a bronze medalist in the 2002 Busan Games.

What gave people doubts was the fact that when Gretchen’s teammates in the national karate team led by fellow SEA Games gold medalist Marna Pabillore and Nelson Pacalso went to Naples, Italy, for a two-month training under foreign coach Gluseppe Romano, she didn’t join them because of her commitments, especially in PDA.  Gretchen was a no-show in the World Karate Championships last month in Tampere, Finland, due to visa problems.

We tried to get Gretchen’s side about this via text, but to no avail.

Fortunately, I managed to get in touch with Ed Ponce.  He assures everyone that Gretchen is focused on her Asian Games training despite her busy showbiz commitments.  The karatekas, by the way, are leaving on Dec. 8, the last batch of Doha-bound athletes to depart.

So let’s give Gretchen the benefit of the doubt.  If she brings home a medal of any color, it’d be a great achievement for her, to think that she has to juggle her time between showbiz and sports.  On the other hand, if Gretchen comes home emptyhanded don’t blame her. At least she tried her best and was true to her word that she’d compete in the Asian Games. ‘Nuff said.

Malalad hopes to make Asiad dream a reality

November 10, 2006

By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA FOR GRETCHEN Malalad, the coming Asian Games will probably be her make-or-break tournament to highlight a glorious career. Four years ago in Busan, Malalad came close to winning her first-ever karate Asian Games gold medal, but her effort fell short and she settled for the bronze medal. In the coming Doha Asian Games, Malalad is tipped as one of the players to beat in the +60 kgs, owing to her vast international experience and countless medals won in various tournaments – the SEA Games included. Despite her lofty status, the 26-year-old Malalad is looking at possibly her last big chance to put an exclamation point to a career that has netted her no less than three SEA Games gold medals. But she’s not exactly oozing with confidence. “I’m not going to promise anything, I’ll just do my best,” she said. Although she missed out training abroad, Malalad did her thing at home, doing it religiously under veteran David Lay despite her busy schedule as one of the mainstays in the popular “Pinoy Dream Academy” reality TV show on ABS-CBN where she plays a fitness instructress. It’s a daily grind but she said it did not hamper her training as her role calls only for a one-hour appearance. “Hindi ako nagpapabaya sa training,” said Malalad, a striking beauty who stood out but did not win in the Miss Philippines beauty contest in 2004. “Hindi totoo yan na kumo nakikita nila ako sa TV, wala na akong panahon para mag-train. Dirediretso pa rin ang training ko dito,” said Malalad, who trains from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City before going to work in the TV show and again in the afternoon. Her fitness for the coming Asian Game will be tested when she competes in the Korean Grand Open Championship in Busan this weekend. The three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medallist is confident she will do well. “I wanted to feel again the ambiance of a tournament and the pressure that lies when competing dahil matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakakapag-compete abroad,” said Malalad. “Iba siyempre ‘yung atmosphere sa training at sa competition. I’ve been training really hard and I wanted to compete in a tournament before the Asian Games.” When asked if this would be her last Asian Games, Malalad just shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, pag-iisipan ko pa dahil the next Asian Games, 30 na ako.” Other members of the national karate team are Bernardino Chu, Irineo Torribio, Nelson Pacalso, Junel Perania, Mae Soriano, Noel Espinosa and Ma. Marna Pabillore – all are training abroad.

Taken from the Website of Manila Bulletin
http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT2006111079309.html#