Elma: Superwoman with a Heart

Have you ever met a Superwoman with a heart? Then bring in Elma Muros-Posadas, the most decorated Filipina athlete from track and field who moved to the big city from Romblon at a tender young age, weathered through different administrations, competed at the Olympic Games and finished her career as the Super Pinay with the most number of medals won by any athlete in athletics. Today, she’s still involved in the sport as a coach and a fairy godmother to probinsyanos.

Sharing her story at the First Online Sports Leadership Program of the Philippine Olympians Association and Ateneo de Davao University, Muros-Posadas revealed how a determined will to reach her dreams, love for the country and love for the sport made her the person that she was then and that she is today.

She was ironically discovered by a teacher at Magdiwang High School in Romblon while playing “habulan’ against boys. Her teacher noticed that the “it” of the game couldn’t chase Muros-Posadas after she leaped over plants and a fence to elude her chaser. Her teacher recruited her on the spot to represent the school in track and field. She ran and won all her events at the school, district, division and regional meets easily, and was part of the Southern Tagalog Regional Athletic Association (STRAA) delegation to the Palarong Pambansa 1980. There was no stopping her winning streak, as she swept the gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump events. Rizal Gov. Isidro Rodriguez then tapped her to continue training under his guidance and enrolled her at the Marikina Roosevelt High School while her training was conducted at the Marikina Sports Complex. But even before should could settle down in her new school, Tony Benson of the famed Gintong Alay program asked her to join the national training pool of the Philippine team in Baguio where she met her idol Lydia de Vega and other big names such as Renato Unso, Isidro del Prado and Hector Begeo. Her age then? Thirteen years old.

At 14 years old, she made her debut in the 1981 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) held in Manila and won a silver medal in the 4X100 meter relay event that was anchored by her de Vega. She also placed fourth in the long jump, already an impressive feat for a teen-ager. Two years later at 16 years old, she won the gold medal in the long jump event, breaking both the SEAG and Philippine records with a leap of 6.09 meters. This win and those of de Vega made her even more determined to make a name for herself as she won eight gold medals in the long jump alone and seven from other events from her SEAG experience.  “Maraming hirap at challenges ang naranasan ko sa training at pati sap ag-aaral pero malakas ang determinasyon ko kasi gusto kong maging katulad ni Lydia de Vega na sisikat ang magbigay ng karangalan sa atong bansang Pilipinas,” she said.

While working with Coach Jojo Posadas who she later married, the couple plotted a plan to reach even more heights. To push herself, she doubled up on her preparation and even trained with the men to prepare for these competitions. At the 1993 SEAG, she had joined five events (long jump, 100M hurdles, 400M hurdles, 4X100M relay, 4X100M relay, and the heptathlon (another five events). She came out victorious with two golds, three silvers and a bronze.

She made her Olympic debut in 1984 as a 17-year old in Hollywood, with many asking her how old she was. Though shy, scared and awed by the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the presence of stars such as Carl Lewis and the tall and well-chiseled bodies of her competitors, she was determined to give her best for her country. “Noong sa araw ng laro ko, halos di ako makagalaw, di makapag warm up ng maayos kasi nahihiya at natatakot lalong lalo na ng nasa loob na kami ng stadium, pero inisip ko lang laro at laban lang. Ang importante ang lumaban ako para sa bansang Pilipinas,” Muros-Posadas shared. After taking care of family matters, she made her Olympic comeback at the 1996 Olympics in Greece where she competed in the long jump anew.

Now past her prime, she is very much active in the sport as a coach and as a godmother to athletes from the province who try their luck in Manila. In an emotional testimony that had Muros-Posadas shed a tear, she said that she and her husband have made it a commitment to help young and underprivileged talents from the provinces who move to Manila because she herself had to go through such a life. Many of them have now won at the UAAP and the NCAA. “Ang hinaharap ko ang makatulong sa kabataan dahil sayang ang talent. Ang sarap ng feeling na makatulong. Ito ang iiral naming legacy mag asawa,” she said.

Thanks Elma, truly a superwoman with a heart.

Photo: Elma Muros-Posadas shares her story at the First Online Sports Leadership Program, a partnership between the Philippine Olympians Association and Ateneo de Davao University.