Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17) – Discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda is one of the pioneering figures in Philippine para-sports as she has been part of the national team since 1997.
Despite winning many medals for the Philippines in foreign meets, the dream of the para-athletics bet from Mindoro to qualify for the biggest international competition for para-athletes – the Paralympics – remained elusive to her.
With that frustration in her athletic career and the many challenges she faced in life, Aceveda was on the verge of giving up on her passion.
Aceveda, who was partially blind since birth, used to compete as an F12 athlete.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) classifies F12 athletes as those with “a higher visual acuity and/or a visual field of less than 10 degrees diameter.”
As the years passed, Aceveda’s vision became more blurry and she is now classified as F11, or athletes who have a “very low visual acuity and/or no light perception,” according to the IPC.
In 2010, Aceveda was also hit by a motorcycle, which left her in crutches.
Doctors told Aceveda she will wear the support for one year, but the thirst for competition fueled her to remove the crutches after a month, and return to training for the 2011 ASEAN Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“Nagulat sila na dumating ako doon. Sinabi nila na anong ginagawa mo dito, sabi ko magpa-practice ako (They were surprised I showed up. They asked what I was doing there and I told them I would practice),” said Aceveda, who took home two bronzes in the regional sporting meet.
Aceveda then prayed for a sign to win the gold medal in her next competition so she can continue competing for the national team.
The sign came during the 2014 ASEAN Para Games in Myanmar, where she clinched two golds in discus throw and shot put events, and a bronze in javelin throw.
“Naramdaman ko na nasa right path ako. Sabi ko, hindi ako titigil dito. Hindi ako titigil hangga’t hindi ko marating ang gusto ko na makaabot ng Paralympics,” she said.
[Translation: I felt I was in the right path. I told myself I should not stop. I won’t stop until I reach my goal to compete in the Paralympics.]
Her hard work finally paid off as after 24 years of being part of the national team, the 50-year-old Aceveda is set to make her Paralympic debut in Tokyo, Japan in the women’s F11 discus throw competition on Aug. 31.
Aceveda attained that goal after she surpassed the 18-meter Paralympic qualifying standard in a tournament in France in 2019, where she placed sixth overall after throwing her personal best of 18.27 meters.
“Sobrang proud ako sa sarili ko na naabot ko ito. Milestone ito sa akin (I am so proud of myself that I reached this achievement. This is a milestone for me),” said Aceveda, the country’s first visually-impaired Paralympian, according to Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo.
Amid the pandemic, she spent her time training in rice fields in Mindoro, with her two coaches looking for vacant lots inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
“Nagpapaalam kami kung sino yung guard na naka-in charge doon na magto-throw kami ng ilang throws (We always ask permission to the guard in-charge in the vacant lot that we will just do a number of throws),” Aceveda said.
Now in a training bubble in a resort in Imus City, Cavite, Aceveda has kept her expectations modest in her Paralympic debut.
“Sobrang bonus ito. Matalo manalo nga, eh panalo pa rin ako (This is a big bonus for me. Win or lose, I feel like I’m still a winner),” she said.
She also reflected that her life experiences ignited her desire to continue her passion in para-athletics regardless of age.
“Hangga’t kaya ko pa, hangga’t hindi ako tinatanggal sa team, pupunta pa rin ako. Kapag passion mo, hindi mawawala kahit anong mangyari sa’yo at kahit ano mang hadlang,” Aceveda said.
[Translation: As long as I can still play, as long as I’m not removed from the team, I’ll still go to each training session. When it is really your passion, that desire to compete will not fade whatever happens to you and whatever obstacles come your way.]
As she declared she is still far from retiring, Aceveda said she hopes her long journey to finally clinch a Paralympic berth will be an inspiration for present and future Filipino national athletes.
“Kapag mahal mo yung sports, huwag mong iwanan kasi hindi ka rin nyan iiwanan. Parang halaman lang yan, matagal magbunga. Pero kahit matagal magbunga, matamis yan kapag pinaghirapan mo. Kung sumuko ako noong 10th year ko, hindi ko na ito aabutin,” Aceveda said.
[Translation: If you love sports, don’t leave it behind because it will not leave you. Just like a plant, it takes a long time to bear fruit. But even if it slowly takes time to grow, reaping the fruits of your hard work will be sweeter. If I gave up on my 10th year as a national athlete, I will not have achieved this feat.]
RELATED: More financial support pour in for Filipino para-athletes
