Vertek notches second gold

MANILA, Philippines - Eduardo Buenavista added the 10,000m run to his 5,000m victory as he firmed his claim as the country’s top long distance runner in the Milo-National Open Invitational Track and Field Championships at the Don Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, Pangasinian yesterday.

The 31-year-old Gen. Santos native, also known as “Vertek,” outpaced his younger rivals to rule the event in 33:51.59 for his second gold medal in the three-day event.

The foreign bets dominated the sprint races, including the centerpiece 100m dash with Korean Min Ju Ryu and Singaporean Muhammad Bin Mustafa winning the ladies and men’s gold medals in 12.37 and 10.85 seconds, respectively.

“I can still compete with the younger, stronger ones and I think it’s still too early for me to retire,” said Buenavista, whose time, however, proved too slow than his RP record of 29:02.36 he set in the Busan Asian Games in 2002.

Philippine Army bet Elmer Sabal settled for silver in 34:00.36, while Reynante Villarma of University of Baguio took the bronze in 34:29.13.

Veteran internationalists Joebert Irin Baluran of TCC-A and local bet Lany Cardona of the Centrex-VMUF captured two gold medals in the event with the 16-year-old Baluran topping the girls’ triple jump (11.87m) and long jump (5.33m), and Cardona, from San Carlos City, ruling the 800m (2:27.16) and 3000 meter (11:19.32) runs.

Other top finishers from the host province were Blessie Mae Sanchez (girls’ 400m-58.87) and Maricris Carolina (1:01.03) who clinched the silver medal in the same event; Junelle Gallebo and Jonathan Leyga, who posted a 1-2 finish in the boys’ 400m run in 49.49 and 51.00 seconds, respectively;

Other winners were Vanessa Membrano (girls’ 10,000m-1:03:54.3) and Mark Anthony Niro (boys’ 10,000m-59:27.4).