An athlete from the Province of Siquijor in Central Visayas region runs the second leg to her Olympian dream. 

The Grade 11 athlete runs past four barangays as part of her training to ensure a haul of golds while competing for the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) hosted by Cebu City after besting her first leg in the Provincial Sports Meet.

Angela Justin Vallara who goes by the nickname “Neneng” is a resident of Ponong, an upland barangay of the Municipality of Siquijor, the town capital of the province.

“Neneng” is 17 years old, quite small for her age, but no one can belittle her determination to go for gold in the CVIRAA Meet. Her pair of feet has spoken. Its power is colossal and there is no track it would not take.

To reach for her aspiration she has to endure her arduous training. Neneng has to run past four barangays to get to the town proper daily covering a distance of about 10 kilometers. Neneng is used to the routine, though, as a young girl. She lives in the upland area where there are not as many residents yet. She had to run to get fast to school and back to her house almost everyday. The situation leads her picking up her footing and zooming past neighboring barangays.

To and fro that means around 20 kilometers a day of grueling routine to fine tune her pace and speed.

Her coach, Romulo Arong, says Neneng has a bright future in the said sports event because she is strong-willed and determined to run after her dreams.

Neneng said her family is her inspiration. She trusts she would be able to lift them from the muck of poverty. She said she is the eldest  of eight siblings. Her parents till the farm and earn about enough to sustain daily needs, but not really that much to guarantee their college education. 

She allows her circumstance to lift her instead of pull her down. Her predicament becomes the air that catapults her as she picks up speed. She harnesses her running skills through her bouts with defeat and enjoys the glory of triumph. Her feat - up her feet - has brought here in Cebu City together with fellow athletes representing the Province of Siquijor. 

Neneng’s impressive footprints at the Provincial Meet led her to the Regional Meet. The third leg is the Palarong Pambansa, and a track closer each time to her opportunity at the Olympics, the ultimate dream of athletes in all forms and sizes.