Elma Muros-Posadas treasures a pair of old, worn-out shoes. It is a prized possession that she keeps at home with her medals. “Sira na talaga, pero hindi ko itatapon,” she says. “It was the pair I wore when I started breaking records. I keep it to remember that achievement.”

The shoes wil surely remind her of other things: of her workouts at teh Rizal Memorial Track and Field oval which stat at 4:30 am; of her Gintong Alay days when athletes had little to worry about; of her bronze medals at the Asian track and Field championships and of her campaigns at the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), especially the 1991 games in Manila where she bested opponents unaware that she was on the family way.

Perhaps, the shoes will also remind her of her father’s words. His words, she says, inspire her during the low points in her career, especially that time she almost gave up, demoralized by intrigues that hounded her athletic career. “Ang taong ibinababa ay itinataas din,” Elma quotes her father as saying. “Kung hindi mo pa panahon, tanggapin mo ang para sa iyo. Pero hindi pa huli. Panapanahon iyan. Mapapasaiyo din iyan.”

The fatherly words of wisdom proved prophetic. At last December’s SEAG in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Elma’s time came. The Philippine team needed soemone to boost an anemic campagin, and Elma came through. Her first gold came with a mighty leap of 6.29 meters in the long jump that left her oponents competing for second place. Minutes later, she bagged a silver medal in the 110-meter hrudles. A late start, lack of local competition and a Vietnamese hurdler denied her the gold, but her determination did not wane.

On the second day, she bested local favorites in the 200-meter dash to pocket her second gold medal. Her sweetest triumph, however, came when she won the century dash, the most prestigious event.

Recognition of her three gold medal triumph son followed. The Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) cited her as “Athlete of the Year”. The Philippine Sportswriters’ Association (PSA) followed suit with another “Athlete of the Year” award.

If you hear Elma talk, you will understand why she deserves those awards, and why she is a winner in life. Hers is a winner’s language. From her, one hears of the importance of determinatino, of dedication, of perseverance and of the need to have a direction in life. “Kung may ambisyon ka, dapat gagawin mo ang lahat para makuha mo. Kailangang may tiyaga ka kung gusto mong maging champion. Kung may goal ka, di ka pararating kapag hindi mo pinaghirapan. Pero kahit ano’ng pagdaanang hirap, may malalasap,” she says.

From her, one hears of the need to have a healthy pride in one’s self, of self-discipline and self-reliance. “Tayo mismo ang makakatulong sa ating sarili. Sa halip na mag-drugs sana ibuhos ng mga kabataan ang talent nila sa sports. Makakapagbigay pa sila ng karangalan sa bansa.”