Escollante fashions record-setting feat

Leonor Escollante simply went through the motions but got an extra in the process, setting a new Philippine record in the fifth National Open Canoe and Kayak Championships Wednesday.

Escollante, a national volleyball player of seven years who shifted to the sport in 1997, erased her own record in women’s 200-meter kayak by two seconds with a 54-second flat performance on mystical Taal Lake’s scenic section off Balete town in Batangas.

"I felt that if I had to win the gold medal, I had to go for the record," said Escollante moments after her record-breaking performance an enthusiastic crowd of Balete locals witnessed. She set the previous RP record of 56 seconds in last November’s Southeast Asia championships in Malaysia.

Escollante also bagged the kayak’s 500 meters title in 2:23.80 to emerge as one of three competitors in the open to win two gold medals.

April Mae Peñalosa, only 16, was a far second at 58.10 seconds in the 200 meters but her silver-medal finish reaffirmed her slot in the national team to the Busan Asian Games this September.

"I knew I could not beat Ate Len-Len (Escollante) but I still did my best to finish behind her," said Peñalosa. Only Escollante and Peñalosa will represent the country in the Busan Asiad.

Other winners in the open organized by the Philippine Canoe-Kayak Federation headed by Dr. Sim Chi Tat and hosted by Balete Mayor David Pamplona and Vice Mayor Mercy Reyes were Carmelito Dacasin in boys’ 500-meter canoe (2:24.57), Ronald Ylanan in men’s 500-meter kayak (2:05.59), Fyle Suson in men’s 500-meter touring kayak (2:44.99), Dave Briones in the men’s 10 kms (27:31.00), Suson in men’s 200-meter touring kayak (1:04.54), Ylanan in men’s 200-meter kayak (46.23) and Jude Tamor in men’s 200-meter canoe (53.10).