USPF bet bags javelin throw bronze

BACOLOD CITY - The University of Southern Philippines (USP) Panthers broke their silence yesterday as Andy Surbano clinched a bronze medal even as the Far Eastern University Tamaraws went on a record-breaking spree in the athletics event of the 11th National University Games here at the Pana-ad Park and Stadium.

Surbano, the gold medalist in the javelin throw in the 2006 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), threw the spear to a distance of 49.20 meters to win a bronze medal behind FEU's Rey Villarube who made 52.77 meters.

The second placer was Javier Gomez of the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a throw of 51.13.

Meanwhile, the volleyball teams of the University of San Carlos and USP withered to tough opposition yesterday.

The USC Warriors absorbed their first defeat in four outings to the hands of University of St. La Salle in straight sets, 23-25, 23-25, 19-25.

But the Warriors are still not out of contention as they qualified to the next round with a 3-1 win-loss record.

The Panthers, on the other hand, lost their match yesterday against Adamson University, 19-25, 20-25, 16-25.

Like the Warriors, they are also still waiting for the results in the other games to determine their standing in the overall ranking.

On the other hand, the Tamaraws carted away 14 gold medals, with six of which made in record breaking fashion.

Zara dela Virgo sparked the fire for the Tamaraws as she broke the record in the 110m hurdles, clocking 14.56 seconds to break the mark of 14.90 seconds she set in 2004.

Teammate Orlando Soriano followed suit in the 110m hurdles with a new record of 14.95 seconds, which is better than the mark of 15.20 made by Orlando Male of UE in 1999.

The mark in the 400m hurdles also fell to the hands of Jenny Agato as she finished the race in one minute and 3.82 seconds to better the mark of 1:05.50 set by Ana Leah Hugo of FEU in 1997.

Dela Virgo was the second placer with a time of 1:05.40, which is also recognized as a new record.

The pole vault event also has a new mark as Riezel Buenaventura cleared 3.20 meters while Marriz Cotoner leaped 11.80 meters to set a new record in the triple jump, erasing the old mark of 11.74 made by Percila Molina of University of Mindanao in 1998.

The last record to fall to the hands of FEU is in the 4x100m relay with a time of 48.44 seconds. The previous mark was 48.90 seconds held by UST in 2003.

The team was composed of Riezel Buenaventura, Sharon Jizmundo, Nariza Rubio and Ma. Arianne Lunasco.

For his part, Jun Rey Bano of the University set two meet records for UST.

Bano was at the top of his form to win the gold in the 400m dash with a record time of 48.85 seconds, smashing the old mark of 49.50 set by John Anthony Adonis of FEU in 2003.

He then followed it up with another impressive feat in the 400m low hurdles, clocking a new meet record of 53.75 seconds to erase the old mark of 54.20 seconds made by Abdul Rahim of University of the East in 1998.

Another UST jock, Ben Alejandrino, joined Bano in the elite class as he ruled the 5,000m run in 15 minutes and 48.54 seconds for a new record, topping the mark of 15:49.90 set by Cresencio Sabal of De La Salle University in 1998.

Aside from FEU and UST, the University of the Cordilleras also joined in the record-breaking feat with Eliezer Sunang making 14.25 meters in shot put to improve his own mark of 13.21 meters he made in 2004.

Meanwhile, Sharon Jizmundo and Jeffrey Lozande, both from FEU, emerged as the title holders in the 100 and 200m sprints.

Jizmundo took the gold in the 100m in 12.43 seconds while Lozande ruled the men's division in 10.79.

In the 200m, Jizmundo clocked 25.32 for the gold and Lozande timed 22.10.

The other gold medal winners yesterday were Jizmundo in the 400m in 58.98, Bernardita Mag-aso of UST in the 5,000m with a time of 19:07.97, Nelbert Ducusin of FEU in the 1500m in 4:00.85, Abegail Pompio of UST in shot put with 10.48m, Rey Villarube of FEU in javelin throw with 52.77m, Angelo Dalisay of College of Saint Benilde in high jump with 1.85m and Jennefer Angelo of UST in high jump with 1.53m.

FEU also won the 4x100m relay gold medal in 42.62 seconds.

In basketball, the quarterfinals will begin with West Negros College going up against University of Saint La Salle and it will be followed by the tussle of Emilio Aguinaldo College against Holy Cross of Davao College.

Also, Saint Francis of Asisi College meets University of Iloilo and Jose Rizal University tangles opposite Adamson University.

The matches for the women's division will have Ateneo de Manila University playing against Lyceum and while Far Eastern University meets De La Salle University.