Brand-new mom Torres tops HK tilt

MANILA, Philippines - More than five months after giving birth, Marestella Torres found her winning ways, ruling the women’s long jump in the Hong Kong Inter-City Athletics Championship last Saturday.

The 33-year-old Torres, who was out of action for a year due to pregnancy, won the gold with a leap of 6.27 meters at the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground.

Torres, a perennial winner in the Southeast Asian region, has been working so hard in training the past couple of months in her bid to make it to the Incheon Asian Games in September.

She gave birth to a baby boy, her first child, last January, and is now back wearing her track shoes.

According to Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association chief Go Teng Kok, the veteran of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics is bent on securing another stint in the Asian Games.

“She’s determined to make it to the Asian Games. She promised me that she will win a medal in the Asian Games,” said Go.

The Patafa president said Torres’ name is included in the list that was submitted to organizers of this year’s Asian Games.

“Marestella did not compete for almost a year and now she registers a jump of 6.27 meters. It’s far from her best but it’s really impressive,” said Go.

Torres, a silver medalist in the 2005 Asian Championships, has a personal best of 6.71 meters set during the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.