Abu dhabi: April Joyce Guillen was the long jump events star of her school in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), clinching a gold medal in her final year in 2010 at the University of the East. After 16 years, Guillen reminisced about those happy memories after getting two medals in the ongoing Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 (OMGAD) at the Zayed Sports City Stadium. On Wednesday, Guillen was unchallenged when she took the gold medal in the women's triple jump. According to Philippines News Agency, Guillen, who now works as an overseas Filipino worker in the United Arab Emirates, decided not to jump in the fifth and final attempt because she was the only athlete in the 35+ category. Despite this, she expressed excitement about jumping again after a long 16 years. She also won a bronze medal in the long jump event, commending Abu Dhabi for organizing OMGAD, which reflects the UAE's strategic vision to employ sport as a comprehensive development tool that contributes to promoting p reventive health and active lifestyles. Guillen shared that she learned about the event through social media and took leave from work to participate. She expressed gratitude to the organizers for providing inactive athletes the chance to compete again. For her, it's no longer about the medals but the opportunity to enjoy sports alongside former athletes from other countries. The multi-sports OMGA 2026 marks a historic milestone as the first Masters Games held in the Middle East, drawing 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. International Masters Games Association (IMGA) president Sergii Bubka praised the event for bringing together athletes globally and reflecting a belief that sport enriches lives, providing joy, health, and purpose at every stage. H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized that Abu Dhabi's hosting of the event underscores the UAE's strat egic vision to employ sport as a comprehensive development tool. He highlighted that the event showcases Abu Dhabi's status as a global hub for international sporting events, supported by world-class infrastructure and organizational expertise.