Unso shatters jr mark; Ferrera falls

Jose Renato Unso turned in a record-breaking feat in hurdles but former SEA Games record holder Arnel Ferrera succumbed to tough foreign challenge in yesterday’s start of the National Track and Field Championships at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Unso, whose father Renato copped the 400-meter gold medal in the 1983 Singapore SEAG, ruled the 110m hurdles victory in 15.25 seconds to shatter the national juniors mark of 15.31 set by Alonzo Jardin in the 1994 Manila Fujian Games.

“Did I really break it? I’m happy I did. I wasn’t really expecting it,” said Unso, a 17-year-old Sports Management freshman at De La Salle U, also a quadruple gold medal winner in the recent Palarong Pambansa in Palawan.

Unso bested John Rey Vicente of College of St. Benilde and Dharl Pitogo of Cebu City, who came in second and third in 15.54 and 15.63 for silver and bronze medals, respectively.

The 27-year-old Ferrera, bothered by a strained neck muscle, struggled with a 55.71m throw to finish way behind eventual hammer throw winner Lee Jeong Gwon of Korea with a 61.97m effort.

Jerro Perater finished third with 46.57m.

“It hurts a bit but I’m not using it as an excuse,” said Ferrera in Filipino who had a SEAG mark of 60.98m.

Eduardo Buenavista captured the first gold medal by topping the 5,000m run in 13 minutes and 58.43 seconds although it was way behind his best time of 13.58.43, the current RP record he registered in the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

RP team mainstay Julius Sermona came in second in 14:48.91 while Nike’s Juniel Languido finished third in 15:03.

Mercedita Manipol, the country’s 5,000m record holder who is representing Terry Capistrano’s TMS Ship Agencies, dominated the 3,000m run in 10:24.71, besting a field that included Grace delos Santos of Zamboanga and Flordeliza Donos of University of Baguio, who clocked 10:47.58 and 11:04.34, respectively.

TMS was the day’s biggest gainer as it snared four gold medals in the first day action ushered in by elaborate opening rites graced by Senate President Manny Villar, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. and spokesperson Joey Romasanta, PSC commissioner Eric Loretizo and executive director Fr. Vic Uy and athletics chief Go Teng Kok.

Unso, Luville Dato-on and its 4x100m men’s relay team delivered the golds for TMS with Dato-on topping the long jump event in 5.49m. Angela Sarrah of Siocon, Cebu and RP boxer Annie Albania also of TMS, finished second and third with identical jumps of 5.22m.

The TMS team of Arnold Villarube, Glen Bancaq, Teodoro Nonato and Jimar Aing breezed through the event in 42.93, trouncing Ateneo’s Bryan Sutingco, Charles Banez, Mike Mendoza and Carlos Soriano (44.59) and Tuguegarao’s Rodel Mark Ebojo, Joemer Maguddayao, Emesel Casagan and Robin Tulizo (45.03).

In women’s pole vault, FEU’s Nariza Rubio came in first with 2.80 while Ateneo’s Jam Valenton won over teammate Bettina MaClary and Makati Hope’s Christian Skul with 2.40 effort.