MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Ams Eric Cray and Princess Joy Griffey dominated the century dash as expected while Angelica Janda shared the spotlight by matching the national juniors record in high jump in the PSC Philippine National Games at the Philsports Arena in Pasig yesterday.
The 25-year-old Cray, last year’s Myanmar Southeast Asian Games 400-meter hurdles gold medalist, clocked 10.67 seconds while the Washington-based Griffey posted a 12.02 clocking in the 100m dash to emerge the event’s fastest men and women, respectively.
The two, however, fell short of eclipsing the national marks with Cray coming about a quarter of a second closer to breaching Ralph Waldy Soquilon’s seven-year-old mark.
Janda, for her part, leapt to 1.66m in the girls’ high jump to match the national mark set by Aprilen Laudencia in the UAAP two years ago, the first ever record-matching feat in the PSC-bankrolled meet.
Bacolod’s Michael Mana-ay, meanwhile, was stripped of the boys’ 100-m juniors gold due to age violation.
Mana-ay clocked 11.26 to cop the gold after watching Palarong Pambansa sprint star Jomar Udtohan of San Sebastian blow his lead after sustaining injury with less than 20 meters to go.
But Mana-ay was later found out to be one year above the required 19-under age level and was stripped of the victory, enabling Koronadal, South Cotabato’s Romnick Nor, who timed 11.27, to clinch the gold.
The 17-year-old Udtohan was later rushed to the nearby hospital to have his injury checked and should be out of the rest of the competition.
Udtohan ran a total of 12 races in the last two weeks, including 10 in the Palaro in Sta. Cruz, Laguna last week where he blitzed his way to five golds in record fashion.
Other gold medal winners were Dave Gumacal and Dave Sta. Ana (10,000m walk), Loralie Sermona (hammer throw) and Melvin Calano (javelin).
Over at the Riverbanks in Marikina City, Pasig’s Juan Miguel Bautista topped arnis’ anyo men’s individual double weapon, besting Zamboanga’s Enrico Baldado and Cainta, Rizal’s Romeo Detablen Jr.
In Tagaytay, Jigo Mendoza ruled cycling’s men’s under-23 cross country event over John Renee Mier and Edmel Flores while Ariana Dormitorio topped the distaff side over Avegail Rombaon and Meliza Jaroda.
In shooting at the Philsports Arena, Tito Carpio carded 562 to seize the men’s 10-m air rifle gold, edging Carolino Gonzales and Robert Donalvo, who settled for the silver and bronze medals with 559 and 554.
Shanin Gonzales fired 372 to snare the women’s air rifle mint, outgunning Angela Dimaculangan (363) and Sophia Graciels (352).
In volleyball at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Cagayan Valley beat NCBA, 25-13, 25-23, 25-27, 25-21, in the men’s division and Technological Institute of the Phl, 25-11, 25-15, 25-17 in the women’s side.