APRIL Joyce Guillen was the star long jumper of her school in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), clinching gold in her final year at the University of the East in 2010 in Abu Dhabi.

Sixteen years later, Guillen relived those cherished memories as she won two medals at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 (OMGAD) held at Zayed Sports City Stadium.

On Wednesday, she claimed the gold medal in the women’s triple jump.

“I decided not to take my fifth and final attempt because I’m the only athlete in the 35+ category. But I still felt great and excited to jump again after 16 long years,” said Guillen, who now works as an overseas Filipino worker in the United Arab Emirates.

She also took home a bronze medal in the long jump, praising Abu Dhabi for hosting OMGAD, which aligns with the UAE’s vision of using sport as a tool to promote preventive health and active lifestyles.

“I only learned about this through social media. I took leave from work to join OMGAD, and I’m very thankful to the organizers for giving inactive athletes like me a chance to compete again,” she said.

“It’s no longer about the medals, but about the opportunity to enjoy the sport we love alongside former athletes from around the world,” she added.

The multi-sport OMGAD 2026 marks a historic milestone as the first Masters Games in the Middle East, attracting over 20,000 athletes aged 30 and above from more than 90 countries to compete in 38 sports—including six traditional disciplines and 13 sports for People of Determination.