Looking relaxed and confident, long jumper Marestella Torres wants nothing else but a new record in next month’s Laos SEA Games.

Buoyed by her brilliant gold medal- winning effort in the Asian Track and Field Championship the other day in Guangzhou, China – site of next year’s Asian Games – Torres hopes to smash the 20-year SEA Games record established by no less than her idol, Elma Muros-Posadas.

Torres’ victory ended the country’s 22-year drought in the tournament with the legendary Lydia de Vega-Mercado producing the last gold medal when she completed a sprint double in Singapore.

If her 6.51-meter jump would be used as a gauge, there’s a strong possibility that Torres can beat Posadas’ 6.52m effort in winning the gold in the 1989 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

By beating the fancied Chinese and Japanese jumpers, Torres is convinced that she can’t only win her third straight long jump title but also set a new SEA Games mark next month.

“Nasa peak na ako. At saka naging mas confident na ako ngayon papuntang SEA Games kaya talagang nakatulong yung pagsali ko sa Asian championships,” said Torres, one of the proud products of the strong Far Eastern University track and field program.

“Target kong ma-break yung [SEAG] record ni Elma,” the Dumaguete lass said shortly after arriving from China Wednesday night.

What made her victory doubly sweet was that she beat her rivals under extremely tough weather condition in Guangzhou.

Torres currently holds the RP record of 6.63m which she made in another Asian event four years ago, but injuries halted her bid to improve her personal best.

Torres made headlines in the 2005 Manila edition when she won the Games first gold medal with a leap of 6.47 meters. She retained her title in the Thailand Games despite a not-so impressive effort of 6.31 meters.