Guarte bags bronze in Hong Kong international trackfest

MANILA, Philippines - Mervin Guarte, a standout from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, posted a decent third-place finish in the recent Hong Kong International Diamond Mile race.

Guarte, 19, a perennial winner in the 800m and 1500m for San Sebastian in the NCAA, posted a time of four minutes, 28 seconds in the one-mile (1.6 km) race in Hong Kong.

Japan’s Tatsuro Okazaki won the race while Australia’s Grant Bage took second place in the event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the HK Athletic Association.

Guarte will compete in the coming SEA Games in Indonesia. He will see action in the 800m and 1500m races in place of John Lozada who recently announced his retirement.

Carmen Dalyn, also of the Philippines, finished sixth in the women’s side.

“These are our transition athletes. Our veterans are getting old and retiring. I just hope they can perform well and pull off some surprises in the SEA Games,” said Philippine athletics chief Go Teng Kok.

Go thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for providing allowances and uniforms for the athletes who competed in Hong Kong.

“I also thank the PSC for granting most of my requests for the international exposure of my athletes in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Taipei, Malaysia, Japan and Korea this year,” said Go.