After almost four years of being sidelined due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear on her left knee, Chiara Permentilla made a triumphant comeback for the Akari Chargers in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference. The former Adamson University standout played her best game so far, leading her team to a 25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19 victory against Army-Black Mamba.
Permentilla's impressive performance was highlighted by her 13 points, all from attacks, along with 10 excellent receptions and eight digs, putting her on the brink of a triple-double. Despite her long absence from the taraflex, Permentilla showed no signs of rust, proving that she worked hard to get back into top form.
The road to recovery was long and arduous for the young athlete. She suffered her injury in 2019. It took her two years to get back on the sidelines, and she only returned to action last February 12 against F2 Logistics.
Permentilla's journey to recovery was not easy, and she expressed her gratitude for being back on the court.
"It feels good to be back on the court. It feels good, you know. I went through a long journey, a long process where at first, I was just on the sidelines, and then little by little, I was able to get back on the court. I was able to get back in the lineup, and now I'm able to play again," she said.
Permentilla's perseverance and determination were commended by Akari head coach Jorge Souza de Brito, who praised the athlete's effort in the recovery process. "She proved to herself and to everyone that she's really, really [eager to comeback]. She trusted herself, she trusted the process, and now she's here with us. Congrats on that, she never gave up," he said.
For Permentilla, her return to the court is a testament to her resilience and perseverance.
"I fought for this. It's been so long, I really worked hard to be able to come back, so I'm very, very happy, and I'm proud of myself," she expressed.
Permentilla's return to form is a significant milestone in her volleyball career, and her inspiring story of perseverance is a reminder that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.
