AFTER winning gold medals and breaking records, an Ilongga high jumper appears on the cover of Unites States-based magazine this month.
Alexie Mae Caimoso Brooks, a native of Leon, Iloilo, was chosen to be a model of Filipino makeup artist Malick James Hilado for the April issue of the monthly beauty, wig and hair extension magazine CosmoBiz.
Brooks admitted that being featured in a magazine is one of her goals in life, as she also aspires to represent the Philippines in international beauty pageants.
“I am shocked talaga noong malaman ko na ako iyong feature model ng CosmoBiz Magazine for April,” she told Panay News in an exclusive interview. “Naiyak talaga ako nong i-inform ako late March about it.”
“Malaking bagay din for me na ma-feature sa magazine na iyon kasi pang international din ang scope noon,” she added. “And it is not a secret naman na isa sa mga goals ko ay to represent the country in international beauty pageants like Miss Universe soon.”
The student of Iloilo National High School said her appearance in the magazine could also be a way for her to discover her father, whom she has not seen since she was born.
Recently Brooks got scholarship offers from University of Texas at El Paso and Trojan California University, also from the US.
She was also drawing interest from the Manila-based University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, and Ateneo de Manila University.
“Sa ngayon ayaw ko po muna isipin iyong college since may isang taon pa ako sa high school,” Brooks said. “I just want to treat it as an inspiration for me to continue to improve my game.”
Moreover Brooks wants to focus first on her upcoming stint in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
“Matindi talaga ang practice namin para dito dahil ang gusto ni tatay Rey (Cabarles) i-break ko iyong existing record,” she said.
“I am just fortunate nga na kahit ganito lang ako ay I got a lot of support from the people behind me hindi lamang po sa sports career ko kundi sa pagiging beauty queen ko. So I am really doing my best to repay their trust in me,” she added./PN
