By: Nicole Parallag
CAPAS, Tarlac – Injuries may hinder an athlete’s drive to compete, but Clint Niño Neri turned adversity into motivation to achieve greatness in UAAP Season 87.
The Physical Education major from University of the Philippines claimed his first-ever league gold in the triple jump (14.94 meters), less than 12 hours after successfully defending his long jump title (7.33 meters) at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium here.
“It’s the first time this season [winning in the triple jump] kasi silver lang ako for the last two seasons. Only in the long jump did I defend my title, and this season in the triple jump, nakuha ko yung pangalawang gold,” Neri shared.
The road to glory, however, was far from smooth. The Cagayan de Oro native had just recovered from a pre-season injury that threatened his campaign.
“I got injured last December during the Philippine National Games. It happened during the 4×100 relay. Sobrang laki ng lessons na nangyari nun, and andami ko din lapses. I took it as a lesson na lang. Instead of getting disappointed in myself, ginawa ko na lang siyang motivation to come back stronger,” Neri recounted.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
At 23, Neri overcame that setback, using the experience to build mental toughness and fuel his comeback.
“Di talaga ako mentally healthy that time dahil sa academic stress, kasi I needed to catch up. Naghahabol ako. But right now, I assured myself na healthy ako physically, mentally, and spiritually,” he said.
Neri’s preparations also included representing the country in the ASEAN University Games last June 2024, which played a crucial role in his current success.
“While preparing for the ASEAN [University] Games, I was also preparing for UAAP Season 87. And now it’s happening. I’m so grateful for the results. Although di ko na-beat yung record, I’m still grateful for my results and sa run ng team namin,” he added.
Having secured two gold medals in the jump events, Neri is now shifting his focus to supporting his team as they aim to reclaim the championship they lost to National University last season.
“Di pa naman tapos yung laban. Di pa kami nagsasalita ng tapos. We’re not putting a period on that, but what we can assure is our teammates are on a mission this season,” Neri concluded.
