Struggles of balancing school, karate 'worth it' for Jamie Lim after reclaiming SEAG gold

PHNOM PENH — Jamie Lim is back at the top.

The Filipina karate ace took down her Cambodian foe Vann Chakriya, 3-1, to reclaim the gold medal in women's -61kg kumite of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

And Lim was glad that her sacrifices and challenges in winning the mint paid off this time around.

The karate ace has been studying for a master's degree in Business Analytics in Imperial College London since September 2022 and had been living there until April 2023, when she decided to return to the scene and try her luck again in the Cambodia SEA Games.

Lim said that after falling short in the 2021 SEA Games, where she only settled for a bronze, she decided to take another shot.

"Since last year’s SEA Games, hindi pa po ako nakapag-compete. I study in London so I'm currently studying now sa London and nag-training lang kami for three weeks sa Turkey," she shared on Sunday.

"I felt so slow at the start but my teammates and the coaches are very helpful na naka-gold ako sa SEA Games na ‘to. Thankful ako kasi three weeks is very short pero we made it so ang saya."

("Since last year's SEA Games, I haven't competed. I'm currently studying in London and we only trained for three weeks in Turkey... I felt so slow at the start but my teammates and the coaches are very helpful and I was able to win the gold in these SEA Games. I'm thankful because three weeks is very short but we made it, so I'm happy.")

Lim said preparing for the regional meet while also completing her post-graduate studies is no easy feat.

"I cry a lot. It’s very difficult, I’m studying Business Analytics sa Imperial College London and that alone is so hard on top of training and finding a place to train pa sa London," she shared.

"It’s been stressful but it’s so worth it now. Sobrang sulit. I wasn’t supposed to compete here pero I decided to give it a go kasi sayang if I didn’t so sobrang sulit."

("I cry a lot. It's very difficult, I'm studying Business Analytics at Imperial College London and that alone is so hard on top of training and finding a place to train in London... It's been stressful but it's so worth it now. It's so worth it. I wasn't supposed to compete here but I decided to give it a go because it'd be a waste if I didn't so it was worth it.")

—JMB, GMA Integrated News