Visa approved: All set for Tabal’s Italy training

CEBUANA Olympian Mary Joy Tabal got her visa approved for Italy, where she will continue her training for the Asian Games slated August in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Tabal said she is looking to leave for Italy on the third week of March.

From there, she is expected to compete in either the 2018 Seoul Marathon or the 23rd Jeju International Tourism Marathon Festival in South Korea. She will then return to Italy to resume her training.

Aside from taking care of her visa application in Manila, the 28-year-old Tabal from Barangay Guba, Cebu City also received two awards from the SMC-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night at the Maynila Hall of the historic Manila Hotel on Tuesday.

“Super proud,” Tabal said of her major award for marathon. She also received a special citation for winning the first gold medal for the country in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

“For my second Major Awardee Award from PSA, this made me more inspired and motivated to do well in my career. I am very honored and humbled and proud to receive these awards because now I got two,” said Tabal, who was also a major awardee last year.

“This means a lot to me. This is an inspiration for me to do better and for the young generations to strive harder on their chosen sport.”