La Salle student hurdles them all

MANILA, Philippines - In between her studies, Sheena Atilano squeezed in a couple of gold medals when she ruled the 100m hurdles and 200m dash yesterday in the 2010 National Open Track and Field Championships at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Atilano said more than her competitors, it was the defense of her thesis at De La Salle which provided the pressure. But she took things in stride, clearing all hurdles for the gold before burning rubber to win the 200m race later on.

Atilano, pushing 30, is taking up a masteral course in Physical Education, and is in the thick of her preparation for the defense of her thesis.

“In this type of tournament, I’m pretty confident of winning the gold. So, I felt more pressure with my studies,” said the tall and tanned member of the RP team who watched the afternoon competitions from way up the stands.

Atilano clocked 14.30 seconds in the 100m hurdles. Her teammate at TMS Ship Agencies, Zara dela Virgo, took the silver at 15.34 while Ma. Jenny Togle of FEU was third in 15.82. Another FEU bet, Mildred Salut, was fourth in 18.33.

Atilano became the meet’s first double-gold winner when she ruled the 200m dash in 26.59 seconds, followed by Rhemilyn Soriano (26.76), Hanelyn Loquinto (27.05), Agnes Gacusan (27.79) and Gloria Romero, not the actress, (29.14).

Henry Dagmil, the SEA Games record holder in men’s long jump, fouled on all his six attempts and finished dead last in a field of eight in his pet event. Joebert Delicano took the gold (7.40m), followed by Jonash Melchor (6.72) and Niño Espinosa (6.35).

But Dagmil, a veteran of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, saved face when he ran in the 100m dash and took the gold in 10.73 seconds, beating his foreign rivals, Lui Kuen Yao of Taipei and Fahra Nazri of Sabah, Malaysia.

Dagmil blamed the markings in the long jump event, and his timing as well, for his embarrassing performance.

“Pero sprint king naman ako so hindi na masama (But I emerged the spring king so it wasn’t too bad),” he said.

The three-day competition went on despite the scorching summer heat with more than a dozen golds at stake yesterday. Action comes to a close today with finals in 23 events.

Sharing the day’s honors with Atilano were Roel Ano, who clocked 2:21:45.5 in the men’s 2000-meter walk; Carmina Bernardino, who booked 2:42:28.6 in the women’s 2000-meter walk; Geralyn Amandoron, with 39.11 meters in the women’s javelin throw; and Noli Jibonga, who posted 10:17.22 to rule the boys’ 3000-meter steeplechase.

Atilano missed the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand due to injury and missed the bronze in the 100m hurdles of the 2009 SEA Games in Laos. She hopes to regain her old, true form as she heads to the Asian Grand Prix in India next month.

She trained hard, for three months, in the United States last year.

Other winners yesterday were Hernani Sore, who had 9:28.90 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase; John Albert Mantua, who registered 13.85 meters in boys’ shotput; Eliezer Sunang, with 15.14 meters in men’s shot put; and Jennefer Penepona, with 37.27 in girls’ javelin throw.