By: Ma. Mikaela Alonso and Melvirose Apolinar/UM Interns
DESPITE being one of the smaller fighters in his category, Davaoeño Marc Alexander Lim hurdled the odds to bring home the SEA Games gold medal in jiu-jitsu after defeating Vietnam’s Dang Dinh Tung.
The journey towards triumph was not easy, but the fighter invested in himself and his skills through rehab following an injury. He participated in overseas training, which he considered one of the biggest factors in his success.
In a recently held press conference, Lim’s coach, Marcos Cenojas, emphasized the lack of support they got from the government and that the Philippine representative for jiu-jitsu used his own funds to compete.
“I think Mark deserves the recognition because he brings pride not only in the Philippines but also in the City (Davao). Sea Games Gold medalist from Davao City, the youngest black belt in the Philippines, invested a lot from his own pocket, dapat hindi gano’n ang athlete (the athlete should not have that burden),” he said.
Cenojas said the government must provide athletes with full financial support, so they could focus on training and getting better.
He even shared how the local government of Davao was clueless that Lim bagged the gold, considering that various national media outlets have been contacting them for interviews. Unfortunately, no local representatives from Davao City reached out to their camp.
“I think he is a gold mine. I think he can bring more pride to our country. Kailangan lang natin ng support kaya nandito kami. (I think he is a gold mine. I think he can bring more pride to our country. We just need the support; that’s why we are here),” he added.
Lim won a bronze medal in the 2020 SEA Games in Hanoi and went home with a silver at the 2019 SEA Games in Manila.
