It all started because I wanted the athletics’ uniform and now, I’m in China’

Jose Matteo Crisostomo finds himself competing for decathlon in Chengdu because of his desire a few years back to get his high school’s track suit. Thanks to that, “I found out that I’m pretty good at decathlon”, he said.

The 23-year-old Filipino has always been active in sports since he was a child.

“I started soccer and taekwondo at the same time during my elementary days. Then I left those two for basketball which I played for ten years until grade 11.”

Crisostomo had the chance to be a double varsity athlete in basketball and athletics in his high school until he needed to make a decision when his coach was only able to offer him the athletics scholarship for college. His focus to be a world-class athlete has been set ever since.

The Ateneo de Manila University graduate, who trains in Spain, is competing at his first FISU World University Games in Chengdu. He expressed being very excited for it.

“I trained with two Olympians so I feel like it helped me a lot. It’s my first University Games so even in just the warm up and training tracks, you can see how talented everyone is. So, there’s a part of you that feels the butterflies.”

Crisostomo couldn’t find the right words to describe the beauty of athletics.

“I think everyone in track knows that it is a slow burn. You will never know when it will be your day. Everyone is working towards it. Just waiting for the chance to come and there’s something beautiful in it.

“Especially in the Philippines, it’s very different. We don’t have as many competitions as other countries have. So, you train one whole year for a less than one minute race. You can see how dedicated everyone is.”

Crisostomo expressed that he can feel the emotions looking at track and field athletes’ pictures.

“You can really see how much it means for the runners and jumpers because they know how much effort they put for that 15-second of fame.”

Throughout these FISU Summer Games, he has met the people that he once only heard of and still can’t believe he is competing against them. He believes the international multisport event is the perfect place to perform well.

“There’s a saying that ‘pressure is a privilege’. So, I’m very privileged to be here, to feel the pressure, to feel the butterflies.”

The men’s decathlon wrapped up Thursday at the Shuangliu Sports Centre Stadium. Crisostomo placed 11th with 5,126 points, a season best. Vilem Strasky of the Czech Republic did a personal best in taking gold, silver went to Edgaras Benkunskas from Lithuania, and Alexander Diamond of Australia goes home with bronze.

Written by Noor Saleha Salem, FISU Young Reporter