Tabal keen on following Olympic dream

MANILA, Philippines – The road to Tokyo is longer and bumpier, but Rio Games marathoner Mary Joy Tabal is resolute in chasing her Olympic dreams.

After struggling in her last campaigns and yielding the Southeast Asian Games crown, Tabal said her main goal is to bounce back in 2020 and possibly earn a return trip to the Olympiad.

Her quest was stymied by the coronavirus pandemic, though, as major Olympic-qualifying races were shelved and moved to 2021.

“My goals for 2020 can be changed but never my dream to run for another Olympics, may it be in Tokyo or even in Paris 2024,” Tabal told The STAR.

“And that dream will be my fuel for the coming days, weeks, months or even a year or years,” added Tabal, who’s trying to stay healthy both physically and mentally while spending quarantine in her hometown in Cebu.

The IAAF is implementing a dual qualification process for the Tokyo Games, which comprises of a tougher qualifying standard and a world ranking system.

The qualifying mark for women’s 42K has been set at 2:29:30 — over 10 minutes off her personal best of 2:43:29. Back in 2016 the standard was set at a more manageable 2:45.

So instead of the direct entry route, the Tabal is looking to punch a ticket by gunning for ranking points in major races.

“Hitting the Marathon Olympic standards is quite difficult and impossible given a very high standard so I came to choose other options to qualify and that is through earning points by joining accredited races and also to improve my ranking by joining more races,” she said.

The 30-year-old Tabal looks ahead to when the suspended races will finally fire off in what looms to be a busy 2021.

“More races again to look forward to 2021. I just have to set this Olympic bid again to keep me going, nothing to lose, I just have to try again, even if we are struggling having this pandemic,” she said.