After the UAAP Season 78 women’s badminton tournament had ended, Ateneo de Manila University stalwart Bianca Carlos shared a wish to members of Tiebreaker Times.
“Ang wish ko talaga eh yung matalo ko si Poca [Alcala].
“Siya na lang hindi ko pa natatalo sa kahit saan,” the two-time UAAP MVP said.
The fulfillment of this wish did not take long, as these two exceptional women’s singles players of the country met in the very first match of the encounter between rivals and last year’s Finalists, the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons and the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles.
Carlos, when she learned of this, was not at all surprised.
“Hindi naman ako nagulat. In-expect ko na talaga siya before pa. Alam kong ipagtatapat kami,” the 20-year old shared on her initial reaction.
“Ang inisip ko na lang is alam ko na nag-prepare ako . Alam ko na nag-train ako. Alam ko na nagpakahirap ako for this. All I have to do is play and pray siyempre.”
In the match itself, Carlos could not find her bearings at the start of both games, as she committed a string of errors, uncharacteristic of her talent.
The fourth-year Atenean, however, shook off the situation and focused on the task at hand.
“For me kasi parang kahit gaano kalayo yung points, it doesn’t matter. Hangga’t di tapos yung laban, never akong titigil, never akong magi-give up, never akong maglo-lose hope. Lagi lang dapat akong patient, lagi lang dapat akong confident sa tira ko,” Carlos said.
“Kasi kong kakabahan ako, dun mo talaga maiisip na, ‘Ang layo na!’ Pero the more na composed ka sa ginagawa mo, dun lalabas ang maganda mong laro.”
Carlos also thinks her composure had enabled her to work her way into the match with the right momentum to clinch the win.
Now that she has finally been able to beat another badminton great in Alcala, it was a bittersweet win for the two-time UAAP MVP.
“Siyempre, for me, sobrang blessed ako. Alam kong lumabas lahat ng hardwork ko. Ilang months akong nagtrain, di ba? Pressure din sa kin yun na wala pa kong talo,” Carlos delightedly said.
She continued, “Yung inisip ko lang is ‘I want to win’ not only for myself syempre, but also for the team. Pero syempre yung feeling na manalo ka sa pangarap mong talunin, sobrang sarap sa feeling.”
“Yun talaga yung pangarap ko sa buong career ko.”
Now that Carlos has had her wish granted, no doubt the Queen Eagle wants her team to fulfill another one: to get back the title to the other side of Katipunan.
