PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – After plunging into Southeast Asian Games action, Nathalie Uy will be leaping into a different kind of arena.
The comely Filipino-American vaulter said she is set to get married to her Brazilian fiancé, Samuel Rego, shortly after clinching the bronze medal in the women's pole vault event of the biennial meet at the Morodok Techo National Stadium late Wednesday here.
The Atlanta-based Uy cleared 4.0 meters to settle for the bronze while Chonthicha Khabut of Thailand bagged the gold medal with a 4.05-meter mark to dethrone reigning champion Nor Sarah Adi of Malaysia via countback.
She said she will see action in the Asian Athletic Championships from 12 to 16 July in Pattaya, Thailand before flying again from the United States to prepare for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September.
She said she has to work hard to reach the qualifying mark of 4.73 meters that will give her a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
"That's my goal: The Paris Olympics," Uy said.
"Just trying to compete in all the major championships like the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Championships and Asian Games. I think we have the Asian Indoor Martial Arts Championships so I'll be going back and forth to Asia a lot."
"I'll be competing in the US as well."
But first, she has a life-changing matter to attend to.
"He's a physical therapist. I met him in Atlanta, I met him on an online dating app, like everybody in our generation," Uy said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"I'll be getting married in two weeks and then get back to competing."