ILOILO City – Ilongga jumper Alexie Mae Caimoso Brooks of the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs is dreaming big. She is eyeing to qualify in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.
The Leon, Iloilo-native shared during her courtesy visit to Iloilo province sports development officer IV Ray Cabarles that she plans to take part in the qualifications of the two huge sporting events next year.
“She plans na magpa-qualify para sa heptathlon event ng Tokyo Olympics later this year,” Cabarles told Panay News. “Gusto rin niyang makapag-compete sa Southeast Asian Games.”
“Actually, Alexie (Brooks) did not stop her training kahit na nandito siya sa Iloilo during enhanced community quarantine kaya she is in tip-top shape,” added Cabarles, who served as Brooks’ father figure before took her dreams to NU.
Brooks, who also works as a model, was earlier named as part of the national athletics training pool following her dominance in various tournaments.
“Ang saya lang to be chosen sa national training pool because I have really worked so hard the past years. It’s a dream na makasali sa national team, and being part of the pool puts me closer to that,” Brooks said in a previous interview.
She added: “Not everyone is given with this kind of opportunity. I will continue to work hard. With God’s grace and with the people who have been pushing me to become the person that I have been dreaming of my whole life, I believe I can do it.”
The Ilongga was known for winning gold medals in the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet and in the Palarong Pambansa under coach Noel Diel.
According to pinoyathletics.info, Brooks has a personal best of 1.72 meters in high jump./PN
