Notes from Rio: Alora to take up law, eyes stint in 2020 Games

RIO DE JANEIRO – Kirstie Elaine Alora is moving on after a pair of heart-breaking losses to her top-ranked foe from Mexico and a much-taller opponent from Morocco in the taekwondo competitions of the just-concluded Rio Olympics.

And how does an athlete who trained so long and so hard for the Olympics move on?

“I’m taking up law,” said the 26-year-old graduate of Export Management at St. Benilde two days after the Summer Games ended in a blaze of fireworks and a carnival atmosphere at the historic Maracana Stadium here.

Learning of her plan to pursue her studies, chef-de-mission Jose Romasanta immediately contacted Peter Cayco, the volleyball official and patron, whose family owns Arellano University.

Immediately, Alora got herself a scholarship, and was elated, almost jumping with joy when told.

“Even as a child, I wanted to be a lawyer,” said Alora, who is scheduled to fly home to Manila Thursday at 2 a.m. here in Rio (Thursday 1 p.m. in Manila) with the remaining members of the Philippine delegation here, including Romasanta.

As an added bonus, Alora received a gift from the International Taekwondo Federation, a certificate showing that among 16 entries in the women’s +67 kg division here, she finished in seventh place.

That’s despite her 4-1 loss to silver medalist Maria Espinoza of Mexico, “I was ranked 16th and last in this Olympics and ranked seventh in the end,” she said.

Alora also lost to Miam Dislam of Morocco in the repechage, 7-5, and bowed out of the battle for the bronze. After the defeat, the pride of Biñan in Laguna broke down in tears, saying it pained her so much to fail to deliver a medal for the country in her first Olympics.

An Instagram post of her crying in front of reporters immediately after her loss drew more than 6,000 views in just two days.

She’s hoping that it will not be her last stint in the Olympics.

“I will continue with taekwondo. As long as our association wants me to and I am fit to fight in the Olympics, I will try to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said Alora, one of the few Filipino athletes who were placed under the Olympic scholarship program for this Rio Olympics.

As an Olympic scholar, she and the others received a training allowance of $500 a month, which she all put to good use leading up to the 2016 Summer Games.

Alora’s family came to Rio to watch her compete, including her parents, Lito and Marilou, who flew all the way from Alaska, where they work, and her sister, Kathlyn, who arrived from Manila two days before she competed and fought hard.

With the Rio Olympics certificate, Alora also received the pair of taekwondo gloves that she actually used in the competition here.

She was so happy to receive them as souvenir.

“I will treasure this. Maybe I can have them framed,” said Alora.

For now, she’s excited about her plans to take up law.

And continue fighting.