Gold medalist Meggie Ochoa admits not being in top mental form during JJIF World Championship

Meggie Ochoa admitted that she was not in top mental form when she won a gold medal in the 2022 Jiu Jitsu JJIF World Championship.

In an interview in Chino Trinidad's 24 Oras report on Wednesday, Ochoa said she was not in ideal condition up until the morning of the competition.

"The previous days, medyo marami akong inasikaso, sobrang physically pagod, hanggang bago ako umalis ng Pilipinas, pagod ako, the previous weeks before that nagkasakit ako," she said.

("The previous days, I've been taking care of many things, I'm exhausted physically right until before leaving the Philippines. I was so tired, the previous weeks, before I got sick.")

However, Ochoa said she was not pressured to win the gold medal.

"Kung for God's glory, eh di hindi naman dapat ma-pressure na ma-gold kasi di lang naman gold ang hinihingi ni God. Ang hinihingi niya is kung ano ang nilalaman ng puso mo," she said.

("If it's for God's glory, you shouldn't feel pressured to win the gold because God doesn't just ask for the gold. He asks for what's in your heart.")

Ochoa said her mindset when entering competitions is not to hurt her opponent, despite her sport being a form of martial art.

"Kapag natatamaan ko nga sila, kahit laban, nag-so-sorry ako kasi ayoko talaga silang masaktan," she said. "'Yung mindset ko is kailangan ko maibigay ang best ko kasi 'yun din ang makakapagbigay ng best sa kalaban ko."

("When I hit them, even when in a fight, I say sorry because I don't want to hurt them. My mindset is I want to give my best because that will also bring out the best in my opponent.")

This mindset was tested when she was informed that her semis opponent Abdoh Abdulla Balqees Abdulkareem was injured.

"Sabi ko shocks, halos naiyak ako sa awa," Ochoa recalled. "Parang na-convict ako ni God na, 'huwag mong sasaktan 'yan. Make sure na you take care of her.'"

("I said, shocks, I almost cried because I felt bad. It's like God told me, 'Don't hurt her, make sure to take care of her.'")

At the end of the day, Ochoa said one's intentions and ways to achieve it are more important.

"Kahit na lumalaban ka [Even when you're fighting] in any context, there is a way to bring glory to the Lord. It's about what your intentions are and how you do what you do."

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/MGP, GMA Integrated News