THE DECATHLON’s physically and mentally exhausting nature makes it one of track and field’s toughest sports as athletes have to compete in 10 events. Despite the decathlon’s difficulty, Mark Matthew “Mackie” Operario stands out by keeping up with the demands of the sport and winling numerous national tournaments.

Apart from excelling in decathlon, Mackie served as a leader in the Ateneo Men’s Track and Field Team (AMTFT). During his stint as the team captain in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and now as a senior veteran, Mackie leads by example to inspire his teammates in becoming better versions of themselves.

Right on track

Before becoming an accomplished track and field athlete, Mackie initially wanted to lace up for the Ateneo Grade School (AGS) Football Team. However, during one of the AGS Track and Field Club’s events, Mackie impressed the AGS Track and Field varsity team coach with his excellent form and was eventually recruited into the team. Presented with a chance to compete in track and field, Mackie immediately took the opportunity and joined the team, which proved to be a fruitful decision later on.

Mackie started out as a distance runner for the team, which laid the foundation for developing his stamina and aided his transition to future track and field events. Mackie’s unmatched endurance was first displayed in his final year in elementary when he won the 1,500-meter walkathon in the National Capital Regional (NCR) Athletic Meet. At the same time, Mackie also showed his versatility as he showcased his talent in jumps and sprints, prompting him to transition to these events in high school.

After making the shift to jumping and sprinting in high school, Mackie represented NCR in the 2015 Palarong Pambansa where he bagged gold in the pole vault competition with a jump of 3.60 meters. The following year, Mackie won gold in UAAP Season 78 by setting a new Juniors’ Division pole vault record after a 3.61-meter jump—breaking David Aguilar’s 14-year 3.60-meter jump record. On top of his record-breaking outing in Season 78, Mackie also won bronze in the triple jump event.

Finishing high school as a track and field star, Mackie exhibited his versatility in the sport once more and transitioned to another event in college—the decathlon. As the level of competition in the UAAP Seniors’ Division toughened, the AMTFT coaches saw Mackie’s potential to garner more medals in the decathlon in his collegiate career.

During Mackie’s rookie year in the Seniors’ Division, the track start was mentored by  the national decathlon coach Sean Guevarra. This further persuaded Mackie to make the switch to decathlon, honing his talent in track and field once more.

However, the switch did not come easy for Mackie given the increase in events that decathlon entailed. From contending solely in specific events like the pole vault, Mackie now had to build on his endurance to compete in 10 strenuous athletic events spaced out in a two-day schedule. Moreover, Mackie also had to familiarize himself with the field events in which he had less experience. To speed up his learning curve, he sought the help of his teammates who competed in specific decathlon events like throwing to quickly improve his form and technique.

Despite the difficulty of the decathlon, Mackie added numerous awards to his track and field resume. In 2019 and 2020, he nabbed back-to-back decathlon golds in the Philippine National Open Athletics Championships—one of the most prestigious competitions organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.

Leading the team

With various accolades and immense experience under his belt, Mackie was named the AMTFT’s team captain in his junior year. As the team captain, he primarily employed a lead-by-example approach while also emphasizing high team morale. For instance, Mackie ensured that he would not look tired in front of his teammates during competitions so that they remained motivated throughout the tournament.

“One of the things that I did was [that] I don’t show them [that] I’m tired, na parang sobrang [game] na [game] pa rin ako (it’s like I’m still very enthusiastic) to compete even if I already competed in eight events,” he said.

With his lead-by-example approach, Mackie specifically valued keeping his teammates’ motivated because of the importance of mental preparation in track and field. “Even if track and field is a measure of your physical strength, for me, it’s still pretty mental. If you’re not hyped or ready for a competition, it’s gonna mess with your form, starts, [and] your reactions,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mackie constantly pushed his teammates to improve during training by encouraging them to compete against each other. “I have a sprinter teammate [participating in] 100 meters [dash], and the way I push him to do his best [is] to beat me given the fact that I’m only doing sprints as a part of a decathlon event,” he shared.

While the competitive environment that Mackie established in the team continued throughout most of his junior year, their training was forcibly changed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Mackie had to revamp his leadership style into a more supportive approach. From encouraging competition during practices and maintaining a high morale during events, Mackie’s focus shifted towards checking up on his teammates and helping them stay in shape during the lockdown.

Given the taxing nature of staying at home, there were numerous challenges that emerged while helping his teammates stay in shape. One particular roadblock was maintaining a healthy diet at home and staying motivated to train without any events to look forward to. 

“That’s the thing with setting group training sessions, to keep each other accountable na dapat they stay fit, especially [since] it’s hard to feel motivated about something, lalo na walang (especially since there’s no) competition, [and] you’re just at home,” he said.

Shortly after the start of lockdown, Mackie’s time as captain came to an end, and with no events on the horizon in his senior year, it seemed like his career was also coming to a close.

Moving on

With the cancellation of UAAP Season 83 and the uncertainty of Season 84, Mackie has chosen to forego his final years of UAAP eligibility. In light of the missed opportunities from not being able to compete in his last two years, Mackie wondered what improvements he could have made in the sport. “Honestly for me, a podium finish will be a bonus nalang (just a bonus), [because] for me it’s more of improving your performance and records, pushing yourself beyond your limits, and as you improve your performance, a podium finish will likely happen,” he said.

Despite having his UAAP career cut short, Mackie’s legacy stands out given his achievements in a difficult event like decathlon and how he led the team while transitioning to the time of a pandemic.