Olympian Alkhaldi tells PH Paris Games bets: Expect ‘good pressure’

MANILA, Philippines – Cherish the moment, but remain focused on the gold.

Those were the pieces of advice two-time Filipino Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi provided to the 22-strong contingent headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will start on July 26.

“From my experience, it’s really hard to really enjoy your time there, because of the pressure… I mean it’s good pressure because each Filipino athlete that qualifies for the Olympics really just wants to do the country proud,” Alkhaldi told Rappler.

“But I think my advice is to really enjoy each moment.” 

Alkhaldi, the veteran national swimmer who represented the country in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, said it’s important for the athletes to also appreciate the hard work they’ve done.

“[At] the same time, still make sure to make the country proud but really enjoy and cherish each moment, because of the hard work that it takes to get to the Olympics,” she said.

“For me, personally, I started swimming when I was three. So that’s basically all my life,” added Alkhaldi, who won a total of 28 medals for Team Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games and held several national swimming records.

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CHERISH, BUT BE FOCUSED.

Two-time Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi gives advice to the 22 Filipinos competing in #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/z7YggxyNTe

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Alkhaldi, who now works as a marketing and PR lead of Atletang Ayala, recently graced the turnover of the program to the Ayala Foundation, which will support the training of national athletes to nurture their Olympic dreams, and later on, prepare them for a career beyond sports.

Also in the program with Alkhaldi are fencing’s Nathaniel Perez and Noelito Jose Jr., karate’s Prince Alejo, archery’s Abby Bidaure, Pia Biadure, and Andrea Robles, and swimming’s Xiandi Chua.

They were chosen among 50 applicants in a stringent process, according to program head Jan Bengzon, but added they are looking to add around 20 more athletes in the next batch.

A different experience in Paris

Despite not being in Paris to compete, Alkhaldi said she will still head to the Olympiad as a volunteer this time. 

“I think it would be a good experience to see the Olympics from a different angle, from a different point of view,” the 31-year-old Alkhaldi said.

“But while I’m there, I’m really hoping to really cheer for our Filipino athletes.” 

Poe vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and Olympic boxing medalists Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial lead the Philippine contingent as the country also marks its 100 years of participation in the world’s biggest sporting event.

Alkhaldi pointed out the advantage of this year’s batch, which has a pre-event training camp in Metz, France.

“Technically, it’s very helpful because they get to acclimatize with the time, the environment, and being together with a group that shares the same goal,” she said. 

“I think it’s helpful with the morale in the last stretches of the Olympics. I think it’s very helpful. It gets you hyped up and excited for what’s to come.” – Rappler.com