4 minute read
Alive and Kicking: Jamie Lim on being a Mathlete and a Golden Athlete
written by Nikka Macasa, Jazryl Galarosa and Lem Nathan Ereña
On Math and the People
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FOR JAMIE LIM, IT WAS BOTH A leap of faith and a love by chance that she treaded into the complex realm of mathematics. Starting at the university taking up BS Applied Physics, she was still uncertain of the future ahead—all she knew was that she wanted math. “But then after first year I saw na mas naeenjoy ko ‘yong math classes more than the physics ones so I decided to shift,” Lim said. Then, in her second year, it was fate. She fell in love with her majors: with a little luck and a lot of logic, she knew she made the right decision shifting into BS Mathematics. “If there’s any favorite subject, it’s gonna be logic.”
from Trixia Subingsubing's twitter
Graduating summa cum laude last 2019, the 22-year-old talks about giving back to the community. More than being about numbers and variables, for Jamie Lim, math is more of a philosophy—it involves a lot of critical and systematic thinking, which she believes would be helpful in developing the state of science and technology (S&T) in the Philippines. “If you just apply proper deductive reasoning, dapat walang magulo in anything. Sana lang in lahat ng fields they really do that then everything would be maayos and there would be no confusion and things would be so clear.” With plans to take data science—which deals with scientific processes, algorithms, and computer systems to extract knowledge from data—for her masters, she vows to give back. This time, through her contribution in the field of mathematics, the limit does not exist for S&T in the Philippines.
Lim, finally, leaves some parting words for aspiring educators, scientists and for everyone who struggles in gra sping the seemingly complicated world of science: consistency and patience. “‘Yong one virtue na important ata sa pag-aaral ng math is ‘yong patience to try to understand kasi it takes you so many times to read again and again. Slowly makukuha mo naman siya so you just have to put in the effort in trying to understand it.” With the education system of the Philippines struggling to grasp and appreciate math in relation to real-world problems, for Jamie Lim, gearing the goal to give back and contribute to the community is the key in nurturing S&T and education in the country.
From Jamie Lim's Facebook
Karate: Jodan and Godan
After graduating with honors, Lim once again graced the headlines after clinching a gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that tells not only of her tenacity amidst adversaries but also of how politics in sports come into play.
Emerging victorious in the Women’s +61kg kumite was a victory against the odds for Lim, although she started karate at an early age. The four-year hiatus she took to focus on her college education rigged her form; she was off the pace in sprint exercises and weight training. The rigor of training for hours on end everyday with only a seemingly slim chance for success also took a toll on her mentally and emotionally. It was no longer child’s play for Lim. She now faces decorated karatekas who have far more experience in recent years. But she never lost sight of her goal saying:
From Jaime Lim's Facebook
The sliver of hope and her longtime dream of being part of the national team drove Lim to seize a victory for the Philippines—one of her ways of giving back to the country.
However, her journey towards her first SEA Games gold was not without the prevalent politicking in sport federations. Having been caught in the middle of disputes among the FIlipino karate community, her club was withheld of any opportunity for a national stint until the latest turnover of the Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF) presidency. This turn of the tide allowed anyone, from any club, to compete in national championships and thus have a chance to qualify for the national team and represent the country in regional and international tournaments. Such advances are a big step towards achieving national competence in sports albeit lacking. Still, not all sports have comprehensive programs or facilities to cater for all sorts of athletes. More than the medals and recognitions, sports contributes to community and character development—both of which have yet to be the focus of such programs. With this, and proper allocation of funds, the likes of Lim could be trained by the country’s very own resources.
From Inquirer
From Rappler
