KARATE chief Ricky Lim believes that 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jamie Christine Lim has what it takes to be a world champion, and will try to prove it when she sees action in the 25th World Senior Karate Championships set Nov. 16 to 21 in Dubai.
“She has all the equipment to become a world champion. She has the height, the reach, speed, the patience and love for the sport, and drive to win that gold medal,” Lim said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum.
The tall, lithe, and lovely Lim will lead a four-man national squad that will compete in the world tournament together with fellow SEA Games kumite gold medalist Junna Tsukii, now training in Serbia, and kata (forms) exponents and SEA Games bronze medalists John Enrico Vasquez and Sarah Pangilinan.
“I am excited and looking forward to my firs world championships. Of course, I intend to go there to win,” said the daughter of basketball great Avelino “Samboy” Lim and former Pag-Ibig fund chief Atty. Darlene Berberabe.
Lim, who graduated summa cum laude from UP Diliman in 2019 in BS Mathematics before going back to national team, said she did not feel the pressure of the high praises being given by Lim and the support of her legions of fans.
“In competition there is really pressure, especially from myself. But I treat the outside pressure as support that people believe in me. Na dapat galingan ko po and use it as a motivation to do well and push me up,” she said.
The karate honcho noted that while the karateka has all the outstanding qualities of an athlete, she still needs more seasoning and international exposure.
