BAGUIO CITY — Age is never an issue for 67-year-old bemedalled athlete Erlinda Lavandia, who still competes in international sports meets.
She brought home four gold medals from the Singapore Masters Athletics 40th Anniversary Track and Field 2019 held in Singapore from May 4 to May 5, 2019.
Lavandia, a retired police officer, said the determination to win is what keeps her going in giving glory to the country. For her win, Lavandia was honored Monday morning during the flag-raising ceremony at the Baguio City Hall.
She won gold medals in the javelin throw event, recording a distance of 25.6 meters; discus throw with a distance of 18.99 meters; shotput at 7.25 meters and hammer throw with a record of 20.8 meters. She bested athletes from several countries such as India, Malaysia, and Singapore.
For winning gold medals in four events, she was proclaimed the best female athlete in field events in Southeast Asia by the organizers.
While in the police service, she represented the Philippines in various international athletics competitions as a member of the Philippine team.
After retirement in 2008 as police chief inspector, she went on to hone her athletics skills and continued to compete and serve the country through sports.
“Thorough training. Kailangan mag-training ng maigi. Dapat may dedication at determination and discipline (You have to train well. You have to have dedication, determination, and discipline),” Lavandia told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on the sidelines of the flag-raising ceremony.
Her secret for a healthy and fit body? She said she gets a full sleep everyday and eats a balanced diet composed of lean meat, fruits, and vegetables.
“Kailangan on time ka matulog, ‘yan ang sikreto ko doon (you need to sleep on time, that is my secret),” she said.
Lavandia goes to sleep at 8 p.m. and wakes up at dawn to prepare for her 5 a.m. training that usually lasts for two to three hours.
She said she would resume her rigid training by next week to be ready for the Asian Masters competition in Malaysia later this year.
“Relax muna ngayon, next week resume na preparation (I am now on a relaxed mode, I will resume my training next week),” she said.
Preparation plays an important role in the result of a competition, she said.
“Kung mag-training ka may chance ka manalo, kung hindi ka mag-training, kunwa-kunwari lang training na ginagawa mo, walang chance (If you train, you have the chance to win but if you do it half-hearted, you shorten your chance of winning),” Lavandia said.Lavandia will represent the country again in the Asian Masters Athletic Championships from November 28 to December 9, 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The city government is giving cash incentives as the local government’s reward to Baguioites who bring honor to the city through sports. **PNA
