SINGAPORE – Tia Rozario might be in a new college and environment, but that has not stopped her from continuing to break national athletics records.
The Singaporean, 23, had completed her four-year undergraduate degree reading neuroscience at Princeton University in New Jersey and moved to Duke University in North Carolina, a seven-hour drive away, to pursue a master’s in biomedical science.
She finished 10th in the indoor long jump, clearing 5.80m, and fourth in the indoor triple jump (12.79m) on Feb 3 at the Virginia Tech Doc Hale Meet, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I.
These efforts bettered her previous Singapore records of 5.71m, set at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational in 2022, and 12.67m, at the Giegengack Invitational in 2023.
She also holds the national outdoor triple jump record (12.92m) set at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships in 2023.
Due to wind conditions, athletes tend to clear further distances in outdoor jumps.
Rozario said: “I had a lot of fun competing last weekend, the competition was very stiff and it was a lot of fun getting to push my limits and compete with some of the best athletes in the US college system.
“I’m definitely thankful for the progress I’ve been able to make. Last year I didn’t manage to break my long jump indoor record, but I managed to beat my triple jump indoor record.
“So this year, I’m glad that I’m able to make progress in both events.”
She is, however, a long way off qualifying for the SEA Games in the triple jump. She needs to clear 13.45m outdoors to be eligible for the 2025 Games in Thailand.
National jumps coach Valeri Obidiko, who coached Rozario previously for four years, was thrilled with her recent results and said qualifying is a “realistic target” in another event.
He said: “Compared to her previous jumps a couple of weeks ago, it looks like she’s progressing well.
“Hopefully we can see her at the SEA Games next year, because in long jump she’s close to the qualifying distance of 6.02m and she jumped 5.92m (in training).
“We will have plenty of time before next year, about 1½ years. Anything can happen.”
For Rozario, the past few months have taught her to believe in herself.
She said: “Having (spent) four years in Princeton, I was able to sort of build momentum and a working relationship with my coach.
“Being the new kid again in a new environment is always difficult. So that’s something that has been challenging over the fall semester since joining Duke in July.”
She will again miss the Chinese New Year festivities, as she has for the last four years, with 2024 being extra significant as she is born in the year of the dragon.
But she understands sacrifices are necessary for student-athletes.
Even in new surroundings, she finds solace in the familiar, saying: “I’ve agreed to cook some hotpot for me and my friends here, so we’ll see how that goes.”
