Schrijvers raises bar in leap to fame

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines  – Watched by a throng, National Capital Region’s Maureen Emily Schrijvers didn’t disappoint and dazzled the crowd with a jump to remember.

The tall, comely Schrijvers, 16, bagged the secondary high jump gold in record fashion – her 1.62m leap shattering the four-year old mark of 1.61m set by Cordillera’s Marie Felice Ellago in Palawan.

Schrijvers, born in Manila to a Belgian father and a Chinese mother, went for the 19-year-old national juniors mark of 1.64m set by NCR’s Cherry Ann Janeza-Arqueza in the Phl National Open in Manila by attempting a 1.65m jump but failed in three tries.

The recent St. Stephen graduate actually came close to accomplishing the feat on her second try but the heel of her shoes touched the bar as she was about to land on her back to the disappointment of the crowd, which was then growing by the second.

“It hit my foot,” was all Schrijvers, who also speaks fluent Filipino, could say minutes after the event.

It was actually the second record Schrijvers had posted in the event as she also recorded one in elementary girls 200m dash in Palawan where she won three gold medals.

Schrijvers, meanwhile, is also set to vie in the 200m dash where she hopes to complete a sprint double as well as the 4x100m and 4x400m relay in today’s final day of the four-day meet.

“This is my last year in the Palarong Pambansa so I hope to win more and go out with a bang,” said Schrijvers, who has been recruited by La Salle.