Already the country’s first double gold medal winner following her victories in the 3m springboard synchronized with Ceseil Domenios and 3m springboard, Perez, 19, will shoot for a third gold medal in the 1m springboard today on the final day of diving competitions at the Trace Aquatics Center here.
And she’s keeping her fingers crossed.
"I’m already happy I won two gold medals," said Perez, who has become the darling of the crowd here, in Filipino. "But I’ll try to win a third gold medal and make our country proud."
The Davao City-born lass, however, will face tough opposition in Leong Mun Yee, who is halfway to a 10m platform gold after topping the preliminaries, and 3m springboard silver medalist Hoang Thanh Tra of Vietnam.
Also out to foil Perez’s bid in the event making a return after it was scratched out of the 2003 Hanoi Games calendar are Thais Skrutai Tommaoros and Neeranuch Chantakulcholtsea. — Joey Villar