Annyka Frances Beatriz Dela Cruz at the 2015 Summer World Universiade held in Gwangju, South Korea. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
“Excellence in Mind and Body” is the motto that the Universiade stands by. Not only were we able to see the beauty of rivalry, but also the importance of sportsmanship and resiliency. There, we were treated as equals. Other countries pegged us as something to look out for, something to consider as a significant competitor. The idea of us being taken seriously, made us feel confident about our sport and our events. But through time, we were able to make friends with our opponents. We saw how their hard work and perseverance brought to where they are now. We were inspired by our rivals. They pushed to our limits to become better competitors, and that is saying something.