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.