Dagmil, Torres regain slot in national pool

Class C athletes who won gold medals when the big guns failed in the National Open Track and Field Championship have been elevated to Class B and therefore will once again enjoy the full benefits given to members of the national pool.

This was the assurance given by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain to at least two athletes who delivered in the recently-concluded multi-nation event, both of them winning the gold in record fashion.

Henry Dagmil, 22, ruled men’s long jump at 7.83m and broke the oldest RP track record of 7.65m set by Nino Ramirez 68 years ago while Maristella Torres, 23, won in women’s triple jump at 12.67m to surpass Percela Molina’s 2001 record of 12.56m.

Dagmil and Torres were among the hundreds of Class C athletes who were recently stripped of their allowances as part of the PSC’s cost-cutting measures. But they are still allowed to train with the rest, some of them even keeping their quarters.

As part of the PSC move, only athletes belonging to Classes A and B will continue to receive monthly allowances of P11,000 and P9,000, respectively, including the P3,000 meal allowance. Class C athletes used to receive P7,000.

Another Class C athlete who delivered in the four-day trackfest which ended last Friday was Mary Grace Melgar, 22, who emerged as the meet’s only triple-gold winner. She topped women’s 400m (55.70 seconds), 400m hurdles (1:00.6) and 4x100m relay.

"They were reinstated as promised. All we’re asking the rest of the Class C athletes is for them to meet the bronze medal standard in the SEA Games. Then they will be back in the pool with allowances," said Buhain.

"The national team is for deserving athletes. We are making these athletes (Dagmil, Torres and Melgar) as examples. There’s just a criteria for you to avail of all the benefits as member of the national team," added the former swimming champion.

Dagmil’s winning jump also surpassed the existing SEA Games record of 7.79 set by Mohd Zaki Sadri of Malaysia during the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games. Barring any injuries, he’s a shoo-in for the 2005 Philippine SEA Games.

"The reality is if you think you cannot match the SEA Games bronze medal then you don’t deserve to be in the national team," said Buhain, adding that six Class C soft tennis players who recently brought home medals from a competition in Japan have been promoted, too. Dagmil, Torres and Melgar carried the load for the locals as SEA Games champions Lerma Bulauitan (100m) and Ernie Candelario (200m and 400m) settled for silver medals in their respective events.

A couple of Fil-American athletes also won gold medals and have been invited to the national team. They are Kashus Perona (400m) and Deborah Samson who set a new RP record in pole vault (3.30m).