No rest for Olympic-bound Cebuana marathoner

Joy Tabal trains in Japan in this March 2016 file photo.

THERE’S just no time to rest, not even to celebrate her recent reinstatement to the National Team, for marathon queen Mary Joy Tabal.

Last Tuesday, Tabal formally returned to the fold of the National Team after the Philippine Amateur Athletic Association (Patafa) decided to take her back following a short fallout.

Now, on to the main mission: the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this August.

Cebu Daily News learned that even before the Patafa handed its decision last Tuesday, Tabal had already been training at the Cebu City Sports Center with trainer John Philip Dueñas after arriving from Canada, where she breached the qualifying mark for women’s marathon.

According to Dueñas, the main focus of Tabal’s training is building her speed and endurance. He said that Tabal might fly back to Japan next week to train if her corporate backer, Motorace/Kawasaki Racing Team decides so.

“Once she’s already there, she will focus her training on speed and endurance. I saw a lot of improvements in her skills, from her form of running. She is more relaxed and she has high cadence in her run,” Dueñas said.

The Patafa has allowed Tabal to train on her own as part of their agreement during a meeting in Manila last Monday.

Dueñas is also concerned that Tabal might not complete her training camp in Japan since the entire Philippine delegation for Rio is set to leave for Brazil on July 23. The women’s marathon in Rio is scheduled on Aug. 12 and Dueñas wants Tabal to use the extra time to complete her Japan training.

Meanwhile, Tabal said that she is now on the official start list of women’s marathon in Rio as shown in the International Association of Athletics Federations list.

Tabal is the first Cebuana marathoner to qualify for the Olympics.