Disclaimer: This feature article was written prior to the UAAP Season 86 Athletics Tournament. Since then, Jia Kawachi has won the pole vault gold medal, consequently breaking the collegiate record by clearing 3.61 meters.
MANY CHAMPIONS cannot say that they have found individual success right from the onset of their careers, but Jia Kawachi has proven over the years why she is the undisputed queen of Ateneo Track and Field.
Taking flight
Before becoming one of the best pole vaulters in the country, Jia’s first sport was not actually track and field, as she was seen as a prodigious gymnast prior to college. Forgoing the sport after high school, she needed to find an outlet for competition. “I also tried out for volleyball because I was tall, but obviously, that didn’t really work out,” quips the track star.
In the end, the then 17-year-old tapped into her grandfather’s athletic background, as he was once a track and field athlete during his collegiate days. Not expecting anything, Jia took a risk and tried out for the Ateneo Women’s Track and Field Team during her freshman year.
Given the gracefulness and flexibility demanded by gymnastics, Jia’s athletic ability assured her of a slot within the team. However, self-doubt loomed within her, as the sport was an entirely new world for her.
Jia ultimately found comfort in a discipline unknowingly familiar to her: pole vault. “[Once] I tried out here with the Ateneo team, that year, our women’s coach was a pole vaulter. So when she found out that I was a gymnast, she took me in [immediately],” Jia notes.
Despite being aware that Jia was still new to the world of Track and Field, former Women’s Team Head Coach Riezel Buenaventura saw her potential. Amid growing pains and necessary adjustments, Buenaventura trusted in the newly-dubbed vaulter’s gymnastic finesse. The nod gave Jia the necessary confidence to compete in her rookie year.
After diligently learning an entirely new sport in just a few months, Jia saw her first taste of collegiate action in Season 79 of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
“I was just happy to be there. It was my first year in track and field. […] I was going up against seniors and people who have been doing track and field since grade school and high school,” she recalled.
However, contrary to her presumption, all the uncertainty was tossed out of the window as Jia smashed through any ceiling set for her in her maiden UAAP campaign. Out of the four Blue Eagles that competed in the Women’s Pole Vault category that year, Jia placed the highest by finishing fifth, clearing a height of 2.80 meters.
Surprising even herself, Jia’s impressive rookie year resulted in her implanting a fiery love for her new sport. “I just fell in love with [the sport]. I stuck to it. That was my freshman year, and I just stuck to it,” Jia happily described.
Although she made undeniable waves as a rookie, Jia had yet to fulfill an untapped potential that was bound to blossom for the Blue and White. With multiple playing years on the horizon, a breakout season was imminent for the vaulter.
Above the competition
Coming off a fantastic debut season, Jia was determined to rise above the competition. However, this was not met right away as the young pole vaulter would fail to meet her expectations in Season 80. With the assumption that she would surpass her previous showing, the young athlete only cleared the same height as she did during her rookie year. Downhearted by her underwhelming sophomore-year performance, Kawachi fueled herself to perform better in the coming seasons.
Hoping to change the trajectory of her career, Jia had a shift in mindset and lifestyle as it would take more than just showing up for practice to win a medal. She admitted that going to parties became a distraction during the early stages of her career. Thus, she channeled more commitment and discipline into her training.
All of this eventually would pave the way for a gold medal finish in Season 81 of the UAAP. After weeks of sacrifice, Jia achieved her personal best record in the pole vaulting tournament. She reached a height of 3.20 meters, a record that came close to tying her coach and former Far Eastern University pole vaulter Bueneventura’s record of 3.40 meters.
A staggering gold medal finish for Jia created a lot of anticipation for her final years as a Blue Eagle. Unfortunately, the pandemic cut short the UAAP’s 82nd season, posing difficulties for all athletes, including Jia and her teammates who were already bracing for the upcoming tournament. The uncertainty of a return made it even more challenging for Jia to train.
For a time, Jia shared that she was contemplating if she would return to the team because she felt she was “unfit” to compete. Having only four or five months to prepare for the upcoming UAAP season added to her hesitation.
However, Jia said she decided to return because of her obligation to Ateneo. “Ateneo gave me a scholarship which I value very much, and they expect something in return, which is my presence in the track and field team,” she remarks.
From being a pole vault superstar to someone who did not touch a pole vault for two years, Jia was suddenly placed in an uncomfortable situation. Jia felt like she was learning track and field all over again. “Sometimes, my brain would know what to do, but my body would not cooperate. It took a toll on me. Confidence-wise, it was really down,” says the UAAP superstar.
After a month of training, she tested positive for COVID-19, which set back her progress even further than it already was.
The circumstances did not stop her, as in her first Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association weekly series off the break, Jia was able to jump 2.60 meters. Although this was not her best performance, Jia used this as a stepping stone to gradually increase the height of her accomplishments.
Coming into UAAP Season 85, Jia was prepared to clear jumps over 3.0 meters, a potential confidence booster for her to achieve a top-three finish in the tournament. Staying true to her expectations, Jia then earned the silver medal after clearing 3.10 meters.
The journey for Kawachi may have been full of ups and downs, but her experiences will fuel her to represent Ateneo one last time in Season 86.
Eagle’s landing
An itch in Jia’s competitive nature led to her having second thoughts of joining Season 86. After a record-setting bronze medal finish at the National Open last March, she quickly reverted her decision to forgo her final year.
Facing her final year representing the Blue and White, Jia expressed an honest view towards her swan song. “[My confidence is] up there. […] But at the same time, I think that it’s going to be sad that this will be my last time playing for Ateneo,” Jia shares.
Outside of ending her collegiate career with a Gold Medal finish in the UAAP, Jia has one mission in mind: break the mountainous 15-year Women’s Pole Vault record of 3.40m set by her former coach Buenaventura.
Jia shared no regrets in taking a leap for the Blue and White one last time. “[I’m] a bit nervous, but it’s because a lot of people are expecting a lot from me this season. I’m [still] excited to compete one more time,” she declares.
Although the star vaulter’s road after college has not yet been totally carved, her never-ending hunger to compete with the best of her abilities will lead the way. With the goal of one day competing in the Southeast Asian Games, Jia’s drive to accomplish her goals may just be the key to her success.
