TWO-TIME Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi is contemplating retirement ready to retire from swimming and is now embracing a new role by letting a young generation of athletes shine like she did in the past.
The 31-year-old Alkhaldi, who has been competing for the last 16 years, said this recently, with the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand still more than a year away.
“Right now, I have no competitions. I’m evaluating what I will do next,” said Alkhaldi, who has been a part of Ayala Corporation’s sports program for the last three years.
Now a member of the marketing and communications’ group of Ayala Foundation’s Atletang Ayala program, Alkhaldi has embraced her job helping manage the needs of athletes the company has chosen to support in the next four years.
In her last international meet in February this year, the foursome of Alkhaldi, Xiandi Chua, Teia Salvino and Kayla Sanchez missed a chance to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relays.
That was when they finished with a clocking of 3:46.93 during the preliminaries, to end up at 12th spot out of 14, at the Doha World Championships.
“I’m 31 and ready to watch the younger generation excel and I’m in full support,” added Alkhaldi, who saw action in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Alkhaldi has held the Philippine women’s record in the 200-, 100-, 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter butterfly events.
In 2022, Atletang Ayala recruited its initial batch of eight exceptional athletes, including swimmers Alkhaldi and Chua; archers Andrea Robles, Abby Bidaure, and Pia Bidaure; fencers Nathaniel Perez and Noelito Jose Jr.; and karateka Prince Alejo.
Support for the eight athletes saw them rise in the world rankings of their respective sports, while they were also employed by companies under the Ayala Group.
Atletang Ayala has moved on to support a new batch of 19 athletes, under the watchful eyes of Alkhaldi.
“Hindi ko pa alam next year, if I’m part of the SEA Games team. But in terms of the program, I’m helping the athletes, manage both their time at work and in sports,” said Alkhaldi.
Paris Olympian and rower Joanie Delgaco was among 19 medal-winning national athletes picked for the initiative and signed to be employed as one of Ayala Group of Companies’ employees.
Also selected for the Atletang Ayala program were para-taekwondo bet Allain Ganapin, who went to the Paris Para Games, along with Amparo Acuña, shooting; Jason Baucas, wrestling; Abby Bidaure, archery; Baby Canabal, taekwondo; Janna Catantan, fencing; Dave Cea, taekwondo; Allaine Cortey, fencing; Laila Delo, taekwondo; John Ferrer, judo; Veronica Garces, taekwondo; Leah Jhane Lopez, judo; Noelito Jose Jr., fencing; Nathaniel Perez, fencing; Franchette Quiroz, shooting; Jonathan Reaport, archery; and Sammuel Tranquilan, fencing.
The Atletang Ayala program augments resources for training and competition, while providing opportunities for career growth.
