Lerma sets high goal in long jump

Lerma Bulauitan-Gabito will be in an entirely different world when she vies in the long jump competition of the coming Athens Olympics.

She’ll be a total stranger to most of her bigger, stronger and formidable opponents who have this nasty habit of breaking records in almost every competition they’re in. The chiseled Russians will be there and the muscular Americans as well. The beefy Chinese will be around just the same.

The presence of these foreign superstars, some of them standing close to six feet and weighing more than 60 kilos, leaves Lerma, at 5-feet-4 and 52 kilos, nothing more than a personal achievement to hope for. She’ll be aiming for something that’s never been done before by any Filipina: jump 6.60 meters.

"No Filipina has ever done it so that’s my target. I want to be the first to do a 6.60," said Lerma who shares the Philippine women’s long jump record with Elma Muros-Posadas at 5.56 meters. She did 5.56 during the second leg of the 2004 Asian Grand Prix two months ago in Sri Lanka.

"If I do 6.60, I’ll be very happy. And if I go farther than that, I’ll be very, very happy," added Lerma who leaves tomorrow for the Athens Olympics scheduled Aug. 13 to 29. The centerpiece event of athletics runs on the 20th to the 29th with women’s long jump firing off on the 25th.

Competing in the Olympics and just hoping for a personal best, a Philippine or a Southeast Asian record, according to Lerma, is no sign of mediocrity as some would suggest.

"It really hurts to hear some of our countrymen say that," she said in Pilipino. "I wonder what they’ve done for our country for them to say that. "We’re not going to Athens for a picnic or a shopping spree. We’ll be there fighting no matter how hard and how difficult it is.

"People should not expect much from us because ours is a measurable sport. And we know the caliber of our opponents. If you look at them, you can already see the difference. Their height, their speed and the kind of support they get. I hope the people will understand," said Lerma.

"We’re not going there to just participate but to give our best, too. And I’m proud to be there because I’m an Olympian. If only these people know all the hardships we’ve been through just to get to Athens. All our hard work in training just to be able to compete and become an Olympian. It’s a badge of honor for us.

"But this will be my last Olympics," Lerma added.

According to comparative records released by the local track and field association, the Asian Games record belongs to China’s Yao Weili at 6.91 meters, the Olympic record to the United States’ Jackie Joyner Kersee at 7.40 meters and the world record to Russia’s Galina Chistyakova at an unbelievable 7.52 meters.

For the record, the Philippine mark in the men’s long jump is 7.83 meters. It belongs to Henry Dagmil and was established during this year’s National Open.

During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Lerma was a token entry in the tough, crowded 100-m dash where she failed to get past the first round of the eliminations. This time, she’s a legitimate qualifier in the long jump, her favorite event.

"I’m just hoping that my condition further improves when I get there. Because it’s different when you’re in the Olympics. You become more aggressive because of these great athletes all around you. You always want to push yourself to the very limit," she explained.

But Lerma won’t be all alone competing for the country in athletics in Athens because Eduardo "Vertek" Buenavista will be there, too, seeing action in men’s marathon that will be run on the 29th, the last day of competition. It will be the last of the hundreds of medals at stake in Athens.

Buenavista is also the holder of the Philippine record at two hours 18 minutes 44 seconds, booking it during the Japan Marathon last February. Like Lerma, Vertek is a veteran of the 2000 Sydney Games (competing in steeplechase). But he’s only 26 and therefore, still has a chance for a third Olympics.

"While this is my last, it’s not for him because marathoners can run even beyond 30 years old. But I’m happy he’ll be in Athens, too. Of course, I’ll cheer for him in marathon. But he must cheer for me, too, in long jump. Tapos uwi na. Pero manalo, matalo, Olympian ako," said Lerma.