Different role for Jamie

Two-time SEA Games karate gold medalist Jamie Lim, often referred to as the legendary basketball star Samboy’s daughter, found herself playing a different role in friendly surroundings when she paraded as San Miguel Beer’s muse in the PBA season-opening program at the Smart Araneta Coliseum recently.

Jamie, 27, wasn’t the only muse with an athletic background. Meralco showed up with Paris Olympic gymnast Aleah Finnegan, a two-time SEA Games gold medalist like Jamie. Phoenix came with PVL MVP Jema Galanza and NorthPort was with professional figure skater Charmaine Skye Chua. Whoever thought of recruiting Jamie as muse should be commended. She was a standout in the program, beautiful, statuesque and stunning.

For Jamie, representing San Miguel was an honor. “I was deeply honored to be chosen as SMB’s muse because this team was where my dad started and ended his PBA career,” she said. “He retired the year I was born (1997) but I still enjoy watching him play through old videos. He’s my idol so I always try to be like him when I train and when I fight. It’s always been an honor to represent the country like he did before and now, as a muse for his team.” Clinching a second SEA Games gold medal was significant for Jamie because Samboy also bagged two gold medals in basketball from the SEA Games. Like father, like daughter. And the tradition has extended to the San Miguel franchise.

Jamie said she was awed by the other muses. “They were all beautiful and it’s so refreshing to see how the idea of beauty evolves through the years as well,” she added. “Beauty now means strong and powerful, given that there were a number of athletes who were muses for other teams. I hope we can inspire people to have the same perception of beauty.”

Jamie’s mother Atty. Lelen Berberabe, Dean of the UP Law School, was at Araneta watching her daughter and was overwhelmed. “It was a wonderful and nostalgic experience,” she said. “Happy that our baby Jamie is now muse of the team that Samboy and we always considered family. Talagang iba ang may pinagsamahan.” Atty. Lelen said Jamie, a summa cum laude UP graduate in math and a Master’s degree holder in Business Analytics from the Imperial College, London, is now working and practicing what she learned in school at Scrubbed, a Filipino BPO (business process outsourcing) company that offers global professional services. Jamie belongs to the Data Analytics Unit.

But Jamie isn’t done with karate. “She continues to train with the national team,” said Atty. Lelen. “Next tournament is the Asian Karate Championships in Hangzhou (on Sept. 19-22). There was a scheduled Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Thailand later this year but it was canceled. As of now, the SEA Games, to be hosted next by Thailand (in December 2025), will exclude karate in the list of sports but we’re still hoping that will change.”